Justine Keay (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tasmania's hospital system has been in crisis since the coalition's horror budget of 2014, which cut $1 billion from Tasmania's health system, and the first budget of the state Liberal government cut $210 million from an already pressured system. Health professionals, peak bodies and Tasmanian residents have been calling for urgent funding to fix the system. Statistic after statistic continually identifies Tasmania as having the worst-performing health system in the country. The state's wonderful nursing and medical staff are under enormous pressure—under-resourced, overstretched and dealing with ambulance ramping at every hospital. So it was absolutely disgusting that yesterday it was revealed that the Turnbull government has been called out for wanting to cut hospital funding even further. This government is seeking a five-year deal offering no new money for public hospitals. It will result in inadequate funding until 2025.

But what will the current Liberal Tasmanian Premier do? He continually shows he cannot stand up to the Turnbull government and he cannot stand up for Tasmanians. Tasmanian Labor, if elected on 3 March, has committed to a half-billion-dollar injection of funds into our health system. Health is Labor's priority, but the Liberal Party continues to put the health of Tasmanians last. Elective surgery wait times will continue to blow out and emergency departments will be clogged, putting lives at risk. Make the change a priority— (Time expired)