Regional Queensland Council of Mayors congratulates pioneering Maranoa nurse

Chair of the Regional Queensland Council of Mayors (RQCOM), Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson, said it was a great credit to Ms Bradshaw from Jackson in the Maranoa region.

He said she was a most worthy recipient for her amazing work developing private, child health nurse-led health services delivered online.

“This award recognises the exceptional work Maranoa nurse Rebecca Bradshaw has done in delivering online child health support for rural communities.”

Mayor Williamson said regional Queenslanders had always adapted and improvised to suit the circumstances and Rebecca Bradshaw, a great regional Queensland talent, was a modern example of that great pioneering spirit.

“The work of entrepreneurs like Rebecca Bradshaw, and these awards, give hope to people in regional Queensland communities whose expectations of reasonable health services are being sadly let down by government,” Mayor Williamson said.

But these entrepreneurs shouldn’t be required to be doing the very basic work of government, delivering proper health services to all Queenslanders, he said.

“These awards are small consolation to women in neighbouring Chinchilla who are giving birth on the side of the road at the height of summer, or to the people of Moura whose hospital doesn't even have a doctor, because of an appalling lack of health services in regional Queensland.”

Mayor Williamson praised the efforts of entrepreneurial Queenslanders and called on the government to shift its focus from the south-east and start to attend to the health needs of regional Queenslanders.