IDEAS BUS GONE: IWC’s Auntie Charie Yavu-Kama Harathunian, Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett, IWC Director Wayne Mulvaney and Member for Bundaberg David Batt are unhappy with the withdrawal of the service. Solana Photography.
As the Indigenous Diabetes Eyes and Screen (IDEAS) Van rolled into town for the very last time today, Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett made a last-ditch attempt to save the service.
Mr Bennett said the decision to cut the critical service from the Bundaberg community and across the state was a blatant disregard for the people who relied on the IDEAS Van.
“This is a heartless decision from a government that is clearly only interest in the south east corner of the state,” he said.
“Today is a very sad day indeed and our community will yet again suffer because the Palaszczuk Government can’t see beyond Brisbane.
“The Premier is throwing her support behind Closing the Gap, yet here her government is cutting this critical service for Indigenous Queenslanders living in regional areas.
“It is unreasonable to expect people living in Bundaberg and the Burnett to travel hundreds of kilometres to Brisbane to receive treatment.
“It is time that the Government looked beyond the south east and addressed the needs of regional and remote Queensland by putting funding on the table for this important, life-changing program.”
Mr Bennett said he was appalled by the Premier’s complete lack of empathy for the people living in regional Queensland.
ENDS.
Friday, 16 February 2018