BRISBANE, Queensland, Aug. 16 -- The Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet issued text of the following statement:

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services

The Honourable Tim Nicholls

* An$8.3millioninvestment in arevamped transitloungewill officially open its doors at Redland Hospital,as part ofa key election commitmentdeliveredby the Crisafulli Government. * As part of the Hospital Rescue Plan,Redland Hospital's new Transit Care Hub has doubled in size, increasing beds from 12 to 19, giving it the capacity to care for more than 7,000 patients each year. * The new space will employ more than 14 full-time equivalent clinical, administrative and operational staff, and will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. * TheCrisafulli Government is delivering easier access to health services and healing Labor's Health Crisis, with theexpandedRedlands' spaceone of10 new or improvedtransit lounges being delivered across theState.

The Crisafulli Government is delivering on another major election commitment, with an expanded transit lounge opening at Redland Hospital as part of an$80 million statewiderollout.

The Redland expansion is one of 10 new or improved transit lounge projectsbeing built across Queensland,as part of the Crisafulli Government'splan to deliver easier access to health services.

The projects are critical to improving patient flow and reducingambulance ramping, which skyrocketedto a high of 45.5 per centduringthe former Labor Government's decade of declinebecausetheyfailed toadequately invest in theState's health system.

New quarterly health data shows statewide ambulance ramping is at 35.5 per cent,the lowest it's beensince 2020, while at Redland Hospital ramping has dropped 9.3percentage points, from 65.5 per cent in the June 2025 quarterto 56.2 per cent in the June 2026 quarter.

The Crisafulli Government'sfully-fundedHospital Rescue Planis delivering more beds and new and expanded hospitals to further reduce ambulance ramping, after Labor's failed Capacity Expansion Program ballooned by billions of dollars under the chaos and crisis of the former Government.

The $8.3milliontransit loungeprojectwill helpimprove patient flow anddrive downambulance rampingevenfurther, withthenew-look Transit Care Hub nowdoubled in size and capacity.

The number of beds has increased by seven, growing from12to 19 beds,while thenew lookspace will also includea dedicated minor procedure room and improved patient amenities.

More than 7000 patients willuse thetransit loungeeachyear, which will now alsooperate24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Some 60 construction jobs weresupportedduring theproject'sbuild phase, and once the transit loungeofficiallyopens,it willrequire the services ofmore than 14 full-time equivalentclinicians,administrationand operational staff.

These jobscomeafter the Crisafulli Government earlier this month celebrated a major workforce milestone, with 10,000additionalhealth workers now employed across the state since the government was elected.

The 10,000 milestone is part of the Crisafulli Government's election commitmentofadding 46,000 health workers by 2032, after the former Labor Government left behind a frontline health workforce in prolonged crisis, out-of-control ambulance ramping rates and ballooning elective surgery waitlists.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the Redland transit lounge expansion was just one of the ways the Crisafulli Government was healing Labor's Health Crisis.

"Labor failed to invest in Queensland's hospitals and health services, which meant we inherited a health service on life support," Minister Nicholls said.

"Projects like this larger Transit Care Hubat Redland Hospitalaredelivering easier access to health care,allowingpatients to move through the hospitalmore efficiently toensure beds are available for patients who need emergency and acute care."

Member for Oodgeroo Amanda Stokersaid after a decade of inaction by the former Labor Government, the Crisafulli Government'sHospital Rescue Planwasdelivering a fresh start for local health services.

"The formersmaller transitlounge saw more than 300 patients pass through each month, making it one of the hospital's key services for patient flow," Mrs Stoker said.

"This expansion is absolutely critical to improve that flow, as our community grows and more people use our hospital."

Member for Redlands Rebecca Young said theCrisafulli Government was restoring health services when Queenslanders need them most.

"This expansion gives Redland Hospital additional space, improved facilities and greater capacity to help patients get home sooner while improving access to care for the entire Redlands community," Mrs Young said.

Memberfor Capalaba Russell Field said it was great that the project was also supporting local jobs.

"The Crisafulli Government is not only committed to healing Labor's HealthCrisisbut we also back-in projects that support local jobs, like this one has," Mr Field said.

ENDS



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