Prior to entering politics, Bates spent 29 years in the health profession. Starting her career as a nurse in both the public and private sector, she became the general manager and director of nursing at the Wesley Gold Coast Hospital.[2]
In April 2012, Bates was appointed the Minister for Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts as part of Campbell Newman's first Cabinet.[5]
After a series of health issues including a serious shoulder infection and sustaining fractured vertebrae, Bates resigned as Minister on 15 February 2013[6]
Member for Mudgeeraba
Bates with supporters at the 2012 Mudgeeraba Show.
Bates was first elected as the Member for Mudgeeraba in March 2009 after defeating the incumbent Labor Member Dianne Reilly.[7] Bates was re-elected in March 2012 with an increased majority.[8]
As the incoming Member for Mudgeeraba, Bates said she would fight to ensure the Southport Hospital was retained as an operational facility when the new University Hospital opens at Parklands in 2012.[9] Bates campaigns on popular issues,[10] saying "issues such as the overhead power lines in Reedy Creek, the Elysium Road overpass and stopping that closure, [are] all very resounding issues in the electorate."[10]
Bates first stood as the Liberal candidate for the seat in 2006 but was defeated.[11]
Controversies
In 2012, Ros Bates' son, Ben Gommers, was at the centre of a scandal accusing him of being improperly appointed to a high paying public servant position. The media questioned the relationship between Ms Bates and the relevant minister under whom her son was employed.[12]
Questions were referred to Ms Bates regarding this relationship and what, if any, influence she had regarding her appointment, however it was later revealed that she did not have any input into the appointment of her son.[13] This included perks such as a car park being awarded to her son whose position traditionally doesn't receive an inner city car park.[14] It was also revealed that her son had worked previously in similar positions in NSW and Victoria under Liberal and Labor Governments.[15]
As the Minister for Information Technology it was reported Bates attended a dinner with several lobbyist firms that was excluded from her official contact register. Tabled documents from the Integrity Commissioner exonerated Bates in relation to this matter as the function was in her capacity as a Minister.[16]
It was later revealed that Bates had attended a dinner with several lobbyist firms and failed to report this and it was also excluded from her official contact register. This led to calls for her removal as minister. Bates announced her resignation from the Cabinet on 15 February 2013 citing health and family reasons. Previously, Bates had undergone intensive high dose antibiotic therapy through a catheter threaded directly into her heart for six weeks due to a shoulder infection.[17]
In June 2013 Bates was accused of misleading parliament and breaching the national health practitioner law by falsely claiming to be a registered nurse despite allowing her registration to lapse, despite previously being a registered nurse for 30 years.[18] AHPRA, the body overseeing the national health practitioner laws concluded that Bates did not intend to provide misleading information and consider the matter to be closed.[19] AHPRA placed conditions on Bate's registration as a nurse restricting her from having direct contact with any patients stating "The practitioner will not undertake any roles requiring direct or indirect clinical patient contact unless approval to do so by the board or its delegate."[20]
On 19 October 2013 the Queensland Parliament's ethics committee concluded that Bates did not intend to deliberately mislead the Parliament."[21]
In May 2024, Bates yelled 'cross your legs' during question time discourse from the Queensland minister for health and women, Shannon Fentiman. Fentiman was discussing pregnant women in labour being turned away from Queensland hospitals.[22]
