Premier of Queensland and Treasurer, The Honourable Dr Peter Beattie, has announced a $4.5 million capital grant to Bond University’s Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, in what he says is an investment in the training of future Australian doctors.
The Premier made the public announcement during a visit to Bond University last Friday, where he met with medical students in an open forum to discuss issues facing the Australian health industry.
Bond University Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable said the generous contribution marked the first significant capital grant that Bond University has received from any government.
“The awarding of this grant signifies strong recognition by the State Government of the very significant contribution that Bond is poised to make to the provision of quality healthcare in both Queensland and Australia through the delivery of our new and innovative undergraduate medical program,” Professor Stable said.
Premier Beattie said he believed taxpayers would appreciate that the government was allocating funds into a great area of need.
“Bond’s medical program is the shortest in the country, turning school-leaving students into qualified doctors in four-and-a-half years,” Mr Beattie said.
“My government is committed to do everything we can to have in place training measures that will assist in getting more doctors.
“This $4.5 million cheque to Bond will help achieve that.
“It’s part of a long-term solution to make sure all our hospitals have got doctors,” he said.
Mr Beattie also called on McPherson federal Liberal MP Margaret May to match the grant ‘dollar-for-dollar’ with federal funding.
Liberal Leader Bob Quinn supported grant allocation, saying “It’s money well spent. This facility is greatly needed on the Gold Coast.”
Bond University said the funds will facilitate the repayment of capital loans sought to fund the construction of the medical school building, which opened in May last year.