• Premier Hodgman and Michael Ferguson lied to Tasmanians during election
• Budget papers reveal cut this year and only miniscule increase to follow
• Michael Ferguson not serious about addressing crisis he created in health
The Hodgman Liberal Government and Health Minister Michael Ferguson have no intention of addressing or fixing Tasmania’s health crisis in continuing to chronically underfund the health and hospital system.
Shadow Health Minister Sarah Lovell said numbers buried deep within the Liberals’ budget showed why the health and hospital crisis would continue and highlighted the fact that Premier Hodgman and Michael Ferguson had conned Tasmanians on health funding leading up to the March state election.
Ms Lovell said despite talking big on increasing the budget, the Hodgman Government would in fact deliver a $4 million cut to health this financial year followed by a miniscule increase of just 2.3 per cent next year, which only covers predicted CPI increases.
“The fact is the Liberals and Michael Ferguson promised Tasmanians $757 million for health, but over the next two years, we’ll see just $50 million,” Ms Lovell said.
“Tasmanians are right to feel hoodwinked and conned by the fact that this Liberal government has no plan to immediately address the crisis, which has been thoroughly exposed by the latest catastrophe in the Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department.
“The Royal Hobart Hospital has now been at the highest escalation point – level four – six times since the beginning of June and this week we saw a situation where up to 70 patients were trapped in the emergency department, with more than 20 of them admitted but not able to access a bed.
“Every day patients are either ramped in ambulances or waiting for hours on end in emergency departments and staff are at breaking point – Michael Ferguson knows that but refuses to act.
“It’s not good enough that the Liberals and Michael Ferguson lied to Tasmanians about the level of health funding they are allocating at a time when addressing the crisis has never been more important.
“It’s not good enough that Michael Ferguson after four years as Health Minister is still refusing to listen to those who matter most – clinicians at the frontline – and refuses to acknowledge that it is universally agreed by health professionals that the budget fails Tasmania’s health and hospital system.”

Sarah Lovell MLC Shadow Health and Preventative Health Care Minister