AMA responds to Government’s wage freeze consideration

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) Tasmania has come out against a move by the
Tasmanian Government to consider a wage freeze for all public servants, saying it threatens
the future of the public hospital medical workforce in Tasmania.

AMA President Dr Tim Greenway, above, said the Government had indicated it would achieve a
wage freeze through legislation which would effectively override the authority of the
Tasmanian Industrial Commission’s independent role as the arbiter of industrial awards.
“Such an action is unprecedented in recent times and would spell the end for negotiated
industrial agreements in the state,” Dr Greenaway said.
“AMA Tasmania and the Tasmanian Salaried Medical Practitioners’ Society are currently
representing public hospital doctors at the Industrial Commission and are arguing the case
for a fair and reasonable award for public doctors in Tasmania.

“The failure of the Government to offer competitive working conditions means we are
constantly losing doctors to the mainland states.

“Public hospital doctors in Tasmania have not had a pay increase since December 2011.

“The current award covering public hospital doctors in Tasmania is outdated and
uncompetitive and has resulted in excessive locum costs and special deals for some doctors
which are simply not affordable in the long-term.”

Dr Greenaway said public hospital doctors in the state had been extremely patient over the
past two and a half years and at all times had acted in good faith with the Government.
“We have repeatedly indicated that we will abide by the decisions of the Industrial
Commission,” he said.

“If the Government now decides to enact legislation to override the authority and
independence of the Industrial Commission, it will be highly detrimental to both doctors and
the wider community and could result in industrial action.

“In the end it is the Tasmanian community that suffers if the number of doctors available to
see patients decreases and we are unable to attract quality doctors to the state.
‘The future of the state’s public hospital medical workforce is currently threatened.”
AMA President Dr Tim Greenway