The Queensland Government announces it will fund up upgrading Cairns hospital to university status

It’s been a while coming. Before the last federal election, the coalition and Labor both committed money to pay for a site adjacent to the hospital to accommodate James Cook U’s clinical school and research. This would qualify Cairns for coveted university hospital status. But nothing could happen without the state government stumping for construction, (CMM August 25).

And now it has – Premier Palaszczuk yesterday announced $52m “for stage one of the new Cairns University Hospital.”

“What!” you say; “this might have something to do with a state election on October 31.” Honestly, some of you are such cynics!