SFF Calls for Teaching Hospital

Media release – Shooters Fishers Farmers Party of Tasmania’s (SFFP), 8 August 2024

The Government and UTAS must think bigger on the future of Tasmanian health and education

The Secretary of the Shooters Fishers Farmers Party of Tasmania’s (SFFP), Phillip Bigg, has today called on the Government to scrap the University of Tasmania (Protection of Land) Bill and consider the development of a new teaching hospital (UTAS TGH).

“The Government is not doing enough to meet the health and education needs of Tasmanians, and with the university liquidating its assets, now is the right time to embark on projects that will build a better, fairer Tasmania for generations to come,” said Mr Bigg.

“The Tasmanian SFFP are calling on the Tasmanian Government to develop a new teaching hospital – prioritising services and accessibility for regional Tasmanians – and fund a feasibility study for the potential development in the upcoming 2024-25 Tasmanian Budget.”

“The discourse around The University of Tasmania (Protection of Land) Bill has been too focused on delivering outcomes for urban areas, while regional Tasmanians stand to remain in the dust with poor access to higher education and healthcare services.”

“Instead of engaging in petty party politics and producing illiberal Bills, the Tasmanian Government should be maximising returns for the people of Tasmania – the people who originally bequeathed this land to the university.”

Mr Bigg said that if the University were to sell its land at Sandy Bay, this income could help “get the ball rolling on the development of a teaching hospital, which the SFFP proposes should be in Glenorchy, at the site of the Hobart Showgrounds. This site is proposed for its specific location with direct highway access at the current intersection and the unused rail network at either end of the site. If UTAS and the Tasmanian Government come together, then the Federal Government ought to come to the table and assist with funds to secure what would be a game-changer for the northern suburbs in terms of health, education and public transport.”

The SFFP believe that the Government’s proposed plan for a bus rapid transit (BRT) system through the northern suburbs transit corridor doesn’t go far enough. “Installing light rail in the old northern suburbs rail corridor, with park and ride facilities from Brighton to Hobart, it would maximise regional access to Hobart and the teaching hospital while reducing congestive traffic, this step forward with light rail being incorporated with a new teaching hospital is a no doubt a strategic long term plan not just for staff, students and patients but for Hobart,” said Mr Bigg.

“It’s no secret that the Royal Hobart Hospital, and the Tasmanian medical healthcare system are under extreme pressure due to poor facilities and staffing, training, recruitment and retention issues. A realistic approach to alleviating some pressures is to build a new UTAS teaching and general hospital with state-of-the-art medical facilities, giving more Tasmanians access to services and careers,” said Mr Bigg.