Ross Hart (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a very sad fact that we are currently facing a crisis in the Tasmanian health system. I recently brought to the attention of the House the story of a constituent of mine, Anna. Anna suffers chronic pain on a daily basis and is unable to stand for any period of time. Despite representations to the Tasmanian Minister for Health, Anna is continuing to face a waiting period of eight years before surgery. Anna is just one of thousands of Tasmanian patients suffering on a public waiting list. This is entirely unacceptable.

In my home state and across Australia, whenever the Liberals get the chance they cut health funding whilst denying that fact. The Leader of the Tasmanian Liberals, Mr Hodgman, cut $210 million from health in his first budget, and the Turnbull government cut $1.1 billion from Tasmania's health system—cuts that result from not keeping pace with healthcare inflation, increased populations and increased presentations at our overworked public hospitals. These cuts have also meant that there are simply not enough health professionals to meet demand. Thanks to a leaked COAG document, we know of the Prime Minister's secret pre-budget hospital plan, which will lock in more health cuts. This five-year deal offers no new money for public hospitals and leaves the states locked into their current inadequate funding arrangements until 2025. No new money for health locks in years of underspend on health.

A Rebecca White majority Labor government will make health their priority in Tasmania. Labor has a better healthcare plan to keep Tasmanians healthier for longer, treated faster and home to their families sooner. Labor will invest in health infrastructure: more beds, more nurses, more ambulances and more doctors. Tasmanian Labor chooses to fix the health system and treat health workers with respect.

Belatedly, the Liberal government of Tasmania has decided that investment in health care is important, but its promised $700 million spend is a delayed response, assuming that a re-elected Liberal government in its third term will be able to invest significant amounts of money to employ additional professional staff. Rebecca White's health plan will be rolled out sooner, with more done earlier to address waiting times—waiting times in emergency departments; waiting times to see a specialist or to have elective surgery. So, too, the plan involves recruiting more staff to the health and hospital system and investing in health infrastructure to meet future demands.

I'm privileged to have served in a health governance role. I know how complex healthcare organisations are and how demanding management is at the best of times. It is obvious that the Liberal state and federal governments are not prepared to spend the money to properly resource our Tasmanian public hospitals. Rebecca White and Tasmanian Labor have a plan which properly respects the hard work and skill of our health workers.