For eight hours last night the Queensland Premier became “Hospital Orderly Bligh”.
She worked a night shift at Princess Alexandra hospital to reconnect with workers, in a bid to improve the Government’s popularity.
Maria Ermide reports.
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TRANSCRIPT
The Premier mopped floors, emptied bins and attempted to answer questions about the payroll debacle.
Her shadow through the night, Rhona Miller, has worked the wards for 28 years. She was impressed with Ms Bligh’s performance.
Rhonda Miller, Operations Officer: “Yes she can come back any time.”
The Premier plans to use what she’s learned to improve the health system with more experiences on the way.
Anna Bligh, Qld Premier: “At the end of the opportunity that both myself and all of my members have had in their own local areas, we’ll be coming together and we’ll be talking about the sort of idea we’ve come up with or that have been put to us.”
Her overnight stay is apart of the government’s “walk in my shoes” programs, aimed at re-connecting with the public. Queenslanders can expect to see more of Ms Bligh and other Labor MPs, as they take on everyday jobs.
But Opposition leader John-Paul Langbroek labelled the overnight stay, a stunt.
John-Paul Langbroek, Opposition Leader: “I’ll bet when the Premier was out there in the hospital last night, there wasn’t one person who asked her about changing the voting system. This is Anna Bligh only concerned with her job.”
Anna Bligh will continue the program next week with a listener from the radio station 97.3 FM.
Maria Ermides, QUT News.