The Minister for Health, Lawrence Springborg joined me in Ingham today to announce birthing services would reopen by the end of the year.

Reopening of Ingham Hospital birthing services would allow local women to give birth close to home, and complement the outstanding ante-natal and post-natal care currently provided by the midwifery group practice.

Women in Ingham have been disadvantaged for years, often having to travel to Townsville during the last weeks of their pregnancies to deliver their babies.

Birthing services in Ingham were closed during Labor’s era of economic mismanagement which saw Queensland Health descend into chaos.

Only the Newman LNP Government has a strong plan to reopen rural maternity services while Labor simply closes them.