LIBERALS CAN’T BE TRUSTED WITH TASMANIA’S HEALTH SYSTEM

THE HON JULIE COLLINS MP.
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5 years ago
LIBERALS CAN’T BE TRUSTED WITH TASMANIA’S HEALTH SYSTEM
THE HON JULIE COLLINS MP
The Liberals cannot be taken seriously on health and Tasmanians won’t trust them to fix the crisis in our State’s health and hospital system.

After six years of savage cuts and policy chaos, Tasmanians will see through Scott Morrison’s last minute election announcements in our State.

Data released on Friday revealed that under State and Federal Liberal Governments in Tasmania, our elective surgery waiting list has ballooned to more than 9,000 patients.

The same data showed Tasmania’s ambulances are waiting outside our hospitals for longer, leaving them unable to attend emergencies. And patients are waiting longer to have their surgery.

For six years, Scott Morrison and the Liberals’ only response to this growing crisis has been more cuts and chaos.

Today’s announcement from Scott Morrison simply plays catch-up with Labor’s commitments on health -  backtracking partially on cuts they have previously made. This is nothing to be applauded.

Remarkably, despite spending the weekend criticising Labor’s commitment for a mental health hub in Launceston, the Liberals have today committed to a scaled down version of the same idea.

While the Liberals have embraced Labor’s ideas, the commitment falls short of Labor’s plan which has the backing of the Mental Health Council of Tasmania.

Scott Morrison should be apologising to Tasmanians for the Liberals’ health crisis in our State.

He should apologise today to the patients in regional Tasmania that have been forced to travel for specialist medical appointments because of the Liberals’ cruel cut to Tazreach in 2016.

Just two weeks ago, North West Coast doctors were scathing in their criticism over the axing of Tazreach.

He should apologise today to the patients across the State that have been forced to wait for unacceptably long periods for the elective surgery they need.

Tasmanians have not got the health care they deserve, and staff in our hospitals have been put under immense pressure because of the Liberals’ cuts.

Scott Morrison and the Liberals just can’t be trusted with Tasmania’s health and hospital system.
Health and Aged Care