Minister for Health
Role / OfficeReferenced in 4 bills
Health (Abortion Law Reform) Amendment Bill 2016
This bill proposed to reform Queensland's abortion laws by setting clear rules on who can perform terminations, when abortions after 24 weeks are allowed, and by creating safe access zones around clinics. Introduced by independent MP Rob Pyne, the bill was withdrawn and did not become law.
Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis Affordability) Amendment Bill 2017
This bill would have required the Queensland Health Minister to take steps to make whole plant medicinal cannabis affordable for patients who need it. It focused on pushing the Commonwealth to relax import rules and subsidise overseas-produced medicinal cannabis while Australian production was not yet available. The bill was a private member's bill introduced by Mr Steve Dickson MP and lapsed without becoming law.
Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
This bill changes six Queensland health laws at once. Its main change is a new menu labelling scheme that requires large fast-food chains, cafe and bakery chains and supermarkets to show kilojoule information on their menus. It also lets health authorities publicly name unsafe food businesses, makes it easier to fill temporary vacancies on health boards, gives registered midwives direct access to the Pap Smear Register, and clarifies that cord blood can be donated to stem-cell registries.
Hospital and Health Boards (Safe Nurse-to-Patient and Midwife-to-Patient Ratios) Amendment Bill 2015
This bill puts minimum nurse-to-patient and midwife-to-patient ratios into Queensland law for the first time. It amends the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 so the government can legally require public hospitals to staff prescribed wards at set ratios, with the initial targets being 1 nurse or midwife for every 4 patients on day shifts and 1 for every 7 at night.