Queensland's acting Premier, Paul Lucas, has defended the state's waiting list problems, following claims that people are waiting years for a specialist appointment.

 

Nearly 200,000 people are on "secret waiting lists" while they wait for a specialist appointment for up to five years, the Courier Mail newspaper reports.

 

Mr Lucas, the former health minister and now attorney-general, said an increased population and an ageing populace were factors.

 

"Australia has the second-highest life expectancy on earth ... people get older ... and that does provide even more challenges for us," he told reporters in Brisbane on Friday.

 

"Demand is ever increasing.

 

"It is a real issue for us. Other states have the ability to bulk-bill far more of those to Medicare.

 

"We see about two million specialist outpatients appointments ... per year and 200,000 waiting on a list, so that gives you an idea of how often it turns over. Many of these are follow-up (appointments)."

 

State opposition leader John-Paul Langbroek said the waiting times for specialists weren't good enough.

 

"We know there are 200,000 Queenslanders on the waiting list to get on the waiting list," he said.

 

"For the first time, now we know just how long they have to wait."

 

Mr Langbroek called for the state government to publish specialist waiting times more regularly.

 

"If you don't measure it, how can you manage it?" he asked.