Queensland’s ambulance ramping has dropped to its lowest level in five years, reaching 37.3 percent in the final quarter of 2025. Premier David Crisafulli highlighted this progress during a visit to QEII Hospital on Brisbane’s south side.
Government Highlights Key Improvements
“Over the last decade, ambulance ramping has tripled in Queensland,” Crisafulli stated. “This is the best result recorded in half a decade, and it demonstrates that recent changes are yielding results, though more work lies ahead.”
State officials report that elective surgery waitlists have stabilized at nearly 62,000, a decrease from 66,632 shortly after the election. Health Minister Tim Nicholls noted that figures may fluctuate but emphasized the positive trend, adding that further efforts are required.
Opposition Challenges the Claims
Deputy Labor opposition leader Cameron Dick countered that 300,000 Queenslanders remain on waitlists for public hospital appointments, a figure equivalent to the combined populations of Townsville and Cairns. He pointed out that monthly specialist waitlists are expanding twice as quickly under the current LNP government compared to Labor’s final year in office.
“The LNP wants to award itself a medal for ramping performance in public hospitals, but this is the oldest trick in the book,” Dick said. “If patients cannot secure a doctor’s appointment, their treatment never begins, potentially freeing hospital beds for emergencies but leaving hundreds of thousands on endless waitlists.”
Latest Health Data Overview
Queensland Health data from December reveals patients waited an average of 29 days for an initial specialist appointment. Emergency department wait times averaged 14 minutes, with over 207,000 arrivals statewide, including 64,625 by ambulance.
QEII Hospital Expansion Milestone
The premier also celebrated a key achievement at QEII Hospital, where the top floor of the expansion now stands complete, with fit-out work set to commence soon. The project will add 112 new inpatient beds, enhanced surgical facilities, and an expanded car park.
