Cassy O’Connor: What will Hodgman Government do to protect health…

… housing and disability services from Commission of Audit?

The delivery of quality, accessible health services; the affordability and availability of social housing, and person-centred disability services are under grave threat in Tasmania, Greens’ Health and Human Services spokesperson, Cassy O’Connor MP, said today.

“If implemented, the Commission of Audit recommendations would hit disadvantaged and low income Tasmanians hardest. They would be hit to go to their GP, pay more for their prescriptions, face fees to access hospital emergency departments, be charged market rent for public housing and, if they have a disability, potentially lose income and be denied services under a shrunken National Disability Insurance Scheme.”

“Tasmanians living with disability, their families and carers will be distressed to learn of moves discussed at COAG today and recommended by the Commission of Audit, to slow the introduction of the NDIS.”

“Any such move would be a gross breach of trust for people who have been let down by an underfunded and fragmented system for too long.”

“Tasmanians living with disability would see the income support they depend on for survival either denied or shrunk under the draconian proposals, including new Disability Support Pension assessment arrangements designed to put people living a disability onto New Start at a much lower rate of income support.”

“With almost a third of Tasmanians dependent in some way on Commonwealth assistance, the Commission of Audit recommendations would effectively crush the most marginalised in our society and hurt low income Tasmanians and working families.”

“What are Will Hodgman, Peter Gutwein, Michael Ferguson and Jacquie Petrusma going to do to stop Tony Abbott from tearing apart the fabric of our society and sending people even deeper into poverty?”

“What will the Human Services Minister do to ensure the NDIS is not compromised by a bean-counter set of values coming out of Canberra?”

“They need to stand up for Tasmania and its people, and fight these harsh proposals every step of the way.”

“To do any less will be a betrayal of the Tasmanian people who elected them to govern, and those many Tasmanians who didn’t,” Ms O’Connor said.
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Shadow Health and Human Services spokesperson