Nurses wearing "Nurse power" and "Midwife power" t-shirts - mostly members of the Queensland Nurses Union - appeared in the background of the policy launch at Townsville hospital. "Nurses say they are stretched to the bone, they are working harder than ever before, "Ms Palaszczuk said. "They are not taking their meal breaks, they are working double shifts." She said when the LNP came into office it cut 4800 positions from Queensland Health, including more than 1800 nurses and midwives. But Premier Campbell Newman said adding more nurses was not the answer.

"The answer to better health in Queensland is better management, local hospital boards, it is about ensuring that local control can occur. That's why we've seen real progress in health over the last three years," Mr Newman said from Rockhampton. "The path to better heath care in Queensland is very clearly something this government has been working on and delivering on. "There's more to be done but it's not about the Labor Party approach which is to just throw more money at it. "Health, actually has got more money - $2 billion a year more in the budget, 18.7 per cent increase. There has been not a cut to the health budget while we've been in office. "But better management, focusing on the frontline, focusing on patient care and looking after people is what health is really all about."

A spokesman for Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said Queensland Health figures show there were 21 more nurses working at Townsville Hospital and Health district in December 2014 (2599) than in April 2012 (2578). Overall, there are 5575 staff in Townsville, compared to 5489 in April 2012, the spokesman said. Ms Palaszczuk dismissed this as "LNP spin." The Opposition Leader also revealed on Thursday Labor would not abolish the health and hospital board system established by the LNP. "We support the board system," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"However under this government, Lawrence Springborg has basically taken no responsibility for actions that happen in hospitals," she said. "That will not happen under a government I lead. The minister will be responsible and the buck will stop with the minister." Loading Ms Palaszczuk said the nurses announcement was the first part of Labor's health policy to be announced during the campaign. - with Amy Remeikis