Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Community Services ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have spoken many times in this place previously about the Tasmanian health system. I particularly want to talk about it again today, because just last week Ms Plibersek, the Minister for Health, announced that they had reached an agreement with the state government to start the Commonwealth investment in elective surgery. Late last financial year—in late June—the Commonwealth announced an additional package of more than $300 million for Tasmania's health system in recognition of Tasmania's unique circumstances. When it comes to health issues, there is a higher incidence of chronic disease, a higher incidence of people with a disability—a higher incidence of a whole range of unfortunate risk factors in terms of the health outcomes for Tasmanians. So it was great to see Minister Plibersek announce last week that there is an agreement with the state government for the elective surgery money to flow. That will commence very, very quickly. Hopefully by the end of this month we will start to see some of those surgeries. That will be an additional 2,600 elective surgeries over four years and more than $30 million for elective surgery. Of course, this comes on top of the more than $20 million for walk-in centres in Hobart and Launceston, which will be open seven days a week, 16 hours a day, we hope to also see that up and running.

I was also really pleased to be able to tour a facility in my own electorate recently, the Cygnet Medical Centre, which received a grant of $1.2 million from the federal government and further assistance from the Huon Valley Council. This facility is a great facility. It is wonderful to see the federal government working with local government on rural and regional health services. It will have four consulting rooms and a treatment room, and case-conferencing and teaching sessions are able to be accommodated there, plus there will be separate access for emergency vehicles. The facility is allowing the Huon Valley Council to attract more doctors to the area. Having doctors in the Huon Valley has been an issue for some time, and seeing the run-down facility was what convinced me to advocate on behalf of the local community for that additional $1.2 million. It is great to see that the building is almost complete. We hope to have it opened officially early next year, but it will open its doors in December for the local community. It is really good to see that in my local community, on top of the investment in the state wide health services.

This comes on top of the government's previous investments in health in my electorate: the Geeveston Medical Centre, with an investment of more than $400,000; the Huon Doctors Surgery, with more than $200,000; and of course, my GP Super Clinic at Clarence, which was $5.5 million. That GP Super Clinic is now going very successfully. I understand that they now have around nine doctors and are open seven days a week. It is great to see that federal government investment, both in my electorate and in southern Tasmania, to improve the health of local Tasmanians.