Question on Notice 1516/2025: Cairns Hospital Expansion

Topic

Cairns Hospital Expansion

Question

QUESTION With reference to the Cairns Hospital Expansion— Will the Minister advise (a) the date for practical completion of the 32 overnight beds in Block B and the 32 overnight beds in Block D, (b) funding provided in the 2025-26 financial year towards the Cairns Surgical Centre and (c) in respect of the $18.536b allocated over five years to Queensland Health in the Budget for Queensland Hospital Rescue Plan, (i) how much of that allocation was spent on the Cairns Hospital expansion in 2025-26 to date and (ii) how much has been allocated to be spent over the Forward Estimates (reported separately by financial year)? ANSWER The Crisafulli Government’s Hospital Rescue Plan is an investment in the future of our health system, delivering more than 2,600 new beds right across metro, regional and rural Queensland. The Plan delivers a record $18.5 billion investment – the biggest investment in health infrastructure in Queensland’s history. The Hospital Rescue Plan addresses the failures and oversights of the former government’s Capacity Expansion Program, where not one project was able to be delivered in its announced timeframe or budget. The former government’s plan for the Cairns Hospital Expansion had a cost blowout of $378 million, meaning the surgical centre project was abandoned. There was also no funding or site for a car park and the project did not address the unsafe location of the helipad on the esplanade. The 64 new overnight beds will be delivered by 2027, which is reported on the Hospital Rescue Plan website. As at 30 November 2025 expenditure for this component of the Cairns Hospital Expansion in 2025-26 is $23 million. The project now includes a new cyclone-rated helipad on the roof of the existing hospital that will accelerate access to lifesaving care. As reported in the 2025-26 Budget, $911 million was allocated in 2025-26 for major hospital projects under the Hospital Rescue Plan, including the new Bundaberg, new Coomera and new Toowoomba Hospitals, the new Queensland Cancer Plan and expansions at Townsville, Redcliffe, Cairns (surgical centre), Mackay and The Prince Charles Hospital. A program level approach was taken as these projects are still in the planning phase in response to recommendations in the Capacity Expansion Program Independent Review Report (CEPIRR). As at 30 November 2025, expenditure across this budget line item in 25- 26 is $198 million. Annual cashflows for these projects are currently under review in response to recommendations in the CEPIRR and therefore cannot be provided at this time.

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