Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

The issue of the Mersey hospital in Devonport is of great concern to the community in Devonport and is one which the government listened to. This initiative is in clear response to the views of the local community, which is concerned about the Tasmanian government’s withdrawal or downgrading of services at the Mersey hospital. We have a situation where funding of around $45 million a year is proposed to fund the Mersey hospital in north-west Tasmania to provide a full range of hospital services treating public and private patients in Devonport and surrounding areas. That is as a result of direct community concern from the people in that area.

What is important is that there will also be community involvement. The Mersey Community Hospital will continue to provide a full range of services, as I say. The Mersey Community Hospital Trust will oversee the running of the hospital and will be composed of locals to serve locals. Members will include local health professionals, business leaders and regional local government. The Commonwealth will protect the entitlements of staff at the Mersey hospital as the transition is made to the new governance arrangements.

The Mersey hospital scheme is of course a pilot scheme, as announced by the government, and is of national significance. This plan could well be applied elsewhere in Australia if successful. I reiterate that no decision has been made at this stage. If Senator Evans has any doubt about the feelings of the local residents in the area of Devonport, north-west Tasmania, he should go there and ask them, because the clear message that we have got as the Commonwealth government is that the downgrading—in fact, the withdrawal—of services in that area in relation to the hospital was of great concern to the local community. The Australian government has responded to those local concerns.