A Federal government injection of funds of more than $50-million will see an increase in clinical training here in Queensland.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon made the announcement as she toured the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane.

Vivien von Drehnen reports.

TRANSCRIPT

The health minister announced the first 20 projects to train more doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.

While hospitals are straining under the pressure of patient numbers, the infrastructure announcement is seen as a positive one.

Nicola Roxon, Minister for Health and Ageing: “We know that we need to be able to train and grow in the workforce well into the future and our investments, I believe are starting to pay off and make a difference already, both to students and to the patients that they see as they come into the workforce.”

The Wesley will receive an additional three and a half million dollars to provide more training for medical staff.

So far, more than two million dollars has been invested in projects at the wesley to expand existing educational facilities.

The Health Minister used her trip to Brisbane today to open the AMA’s national conference.

High on the agenda was the government’s plain packaging cigarette legislation.

The Minister has tried to link the LNP’s donations from tobacco companies to the party’s refusal to back Labors stand and has called on Campbell Newman to come clean.

Nicola Roxon, Minister for Health and Ageing: “I hope that he will let us know and let the public know whether they support the Government’s measures to introduce plain packaging.”

The head of the AMA Dr Andrew Pesce says the Government is heading in the right direction.

Dr Andrew Pesce, AMA Federal President: “There’s no doubt in our mind what the right thing to do is, and we ask the Coalition to move with the Government to make this a bilateral, a bilateral straegy with support of all sides of politics.”

But the opposition says they want to see hard evidence that plain packaging will cut down the number of smokers before they back the move.

Peter Dutton, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing: “That’s not too much to ask for because what we want to be assured of is that this is the best way to reduce smoking rates.”

The AMA says no political party should receive any funding from tobacco companies.

Vivien von Drehnen, QUT News.