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

The Tasmanian health system is in crisis. Judy from Devonport needs neurosurgery. She has a low volume of brain fluid, with her brain sitting on top of her spine, causing stroke-like symptoms and chronic migraines. Once fiercely independent, Judy now spends most of her time in her home and rarely leaves. She was to receive her surgery in May last year. After that time, she asked me and state Labor leader Rebecca White for help. Our collective pleas for a surgery date were ignored by the Liberal government. The health minister finally wrote back to Judy in December, saying, 'Yes, I understand you're waiting longer than what is clinically acceptable,' and then signed his letter: 'And I hope you get better soon.'

It was only after the intervention by the member for Sydney and Labor leader Rebecca White at the height of the election campaign that the Tasmanian Liberal government took notice. So how did we get their attention? After Judy fronted every single Tasmanian media outlet last Wednesday, she poured out her heart not just for herself but for every other Tasmanian waiting and suffering too long for surgery. She got a call on Friday, with the surgery date of the next two to three weeks. This Liberal government only acted in response to bad publicity—never in the interests of Tasmanians who are suffering. So I say to all Tasmanians waiting for surgery: get to your media today, before Saturday's election, and you might actually get your surgery.