Newman's pledge on services lies: union

4 Sep 2012, 4:51 pm   -   Source: AAP
Queensland nurses fear for their jobs after 45 positions were axed in Townsville, a union says. (AAP)

Queensland nurses fear for their jobs after 45 positions were axed in Townsville, a union says. (AAP)

Public sector union Together has accused Queensland Premier Campbell Newman of lying in pre-election commitments to save frontline services.

The union representing Queensland public servants has accused Premier Campbell Newman of telling a "pack of lies" over pre-election commitments to protect frontline services.

The Townsville Hospital and Health Services board on Monday announced 130 fulltime equivalent positions would be cut within the next week, including 45 nursing jobs.

Another 70 jobs are likely to go in the next year.

Mr Newman said the decision was made at a board level and not by the state government.

He said the decision did not necessarily break the Liberal National Party's pledge not to cut frontline services.

"What if they're involved with filling out forms, conducting assessments of case histories or going around checking on people?" he said.

"I reject ... that the number involved, or the people involved, are going to affect frontline services".

But Together union secretary Alex Scott said Mr Newman had committed a "fundamental breach of trust", pointing to a post made by Mr Newman on the LNP website two days before the March election.

In the post, Mr Newman said "(u)nder an LNP government there'll be no forced redundancies", and vowed his government would "protect and revitalise front line roles".

"Clearly he's got to have a more structured approach to service delivery, rather than just trying to spin his way through a pack of lies," Mr Scott told AAP.

"Doctors, nurses and health professionals are clearly frontline."

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said the cuts were a betrayal of Townsville.

"This government has turned its back on the region," she said.

Mr Newman on Tuesday launched a new Twitter account called Queensland Mythbusters, aimed at answering questions about the public service changes.

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