AMA Tasmania President A/Prof Tim Greenaway has called on Premier Will Hodgman and Health Minister Michael Ferguson to withdraw the government’s appeal of the recent decision by Tasmanian Industrial Commission (TIC) President Tim Abey with respect to the Medical Practitioners (Public Sector) Award.
A/Prof Greenaway said appealing the TIC’s decision is a petulant act by a government which is prepared to use millions of dollars of tax payers’ money to support a locum service in the north west of the state, yet appears unwilling to invest in a sustainable and affordable medical workforce in general.
“The appeal makes a mockery of the government’s rhetoric about the need to work with doctors to ensure that important structural reforms to the health system occur,” said A/Prof Greenaway.
“By rejecting the independent industrial umpire’s decision, the government has thumbed its nose at Tasmanian salaried doctors.
“If specialists cannot be guaranteed a competitive income, they will not work in Tasmania.
“The appeal threatens the future of the Tasmanian medical workforce and the health reforms of the White Paper.”
A/Prof Greenaway stated that the AMA and Tasmanian Salaried Medical Practitioners’ Society had always negotiated in good faith and had repeatedly assured the government that it would abide by the TIC’s decision.
“The government’s decision to appeal the TIC’s decision simply reinforces the view of many doctors that the government cannot be trusted,” he said.
“It is a very poor decision which will have significant effects on relations between doctors and the government and is a matter of profound regret.”
AMA Tasmania President A/Prof Tim Greenaway
