Over 212,000 Tasmanians to reap the benefits of the Greens rural health policy

Australian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said today that the Greens rural health policy would mean better healthcare services for over 212,000 residents in Tasmania.

“The Greens have announced a suite of initiatives that would boost health funding in rural and regional communities in Tasmania,” said Senator Peter Whish-Wilson.

“The Greens don’t think it’s acceptable that people who live in rural and regional areas suffer poorer health and have a lower life expectancy than those who live in metropolitan areas.

“Everyone has the right to good quality healthcare and the Greens are committed to making sure they get it.

“The Greens will boost health services in regional and rural Australia by investing $450 million in rural and regional hospitals.

“This would help them offer a wider range of services so that people aren’t forced to leave their communities to get basic health care.

“The Greens would also invest $200 million in rural infrastructure so that clinics can offer more services and stay open for longer.

“The Greens also understand that rural areas don’t just need more money and more infrastructure, they also need more doctors and nurses.

“The Greens would address the demand for rural health workforce by fixing the classification system so that rural health workers are appropriately remunerated for working in remote areas and by streamlining the accreditation of overseas doctors.

“The Greens would also offer grants to clinics in regional areas so that we can attract more doctors for training positions.

“The Greens understand that both distance and cost are barriers to accessing healthcare – but the Greens believe that your health shouldn’t depend on your postcode or your bank balance.

“The Greens care about looking after peoples’ health no matter where they live and that’s why we’re standing up for what matters,” Senator Whish-Wilson concluded.

Find out more on the initiatives at: http://greens.org.au/rural-health
Australian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson