Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has been attacked by his political opponents for refusing to appeal against a Supreme Court decision that throws the future of the $5.6million Morris inquiry into doubt.

As Mr Beattie and Attorney-General Linda Lavarch yesterday considered the ramifications of judge Martin Moynihan’s decision finding bias against Commissioner Tony Morris QC, Opposition health spokesman Stuart Copeland labelled the Premier a coward for taking what he regarded as a dishonest and self-interested position on an appeal.

“People in Bundaberg have died and too many have been maimed and scarred for Peter Beattie not to appeal Justice Moynihan’s ruling and allow the inquiry to continue,” Mr Copeland said. “This really is a cynical cop-out by the Premier that will conveniently allow the Morris inquiry to be shut down to stop any more exposure of the truth to public gaze.”

But Mr Beattie said the former patients of Indian-trained American surgeon Jayant Patel would still get justice and the Government intended to start implementing health system reforms on October 1.

He said while Justice Moynihan’s judgment was “unexpected”, he was not prepared to launch an appeal that could take months and delay the reform process.

“One thing we are determined to do is not put the people of Bundaberg and the patients of Dr Patel through the hell that they’ve been through again,” Mr Beattie said.

“Giving evidence has been painful for them. The Government has spent almost $6million of taxpayers’ money; we’re not going to spend that again.”

Mr Copeland also made a veiled attack on Justice Moynihan, saying there was “a very big question mark” over the timing of his decision, before former health minister Gordon Nuttall was due to give evidence.

But Mr Beattie said Mr Nuttall’s role could still be examined by the Crime and Misconduct Commission, which already planned to hold public hearings into the handling of complaints at Bundaberg Base Hospital, where Dr Patel worked.

The CMC is also examining whether Mr Nuttall lied to a budget estimates committee about his knowledge of problems with overseas-trained doctors.

“Whatever happens out of this, the Government has got a very clear message about Bundaberg and what has to be done,” he said.

“The reform of the health system will start on the first of October and it doesn’t matter what happens in terms of these decisions.”

Nationals MP Rob Messenger, who first detailed nurse whistleblower Toni Hoffman’s allegations against Dr Patel, backed Mr Copeland’s stance and said the judgment was “devastating news for the victims of Dr Patel and their families and friends”.

The lawyer for Dr Patel’s former patients, Ian Brown, said “there is no doubt that the patients feel an enormous sense of disappointment with the decision”.