Nurses Petition Health Minister To Save Rosary Gardens

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) is today delivering a petition to Health Minister Bridget Archer, demanding government intervention to prevent the June 2026 closure of Southern Cross Care’s 94-bed Rosary Gardens facility.

Having collected nearly 700 signatures in just weeks, the union is now calling for urgent transparency following reports that the Tasmanian Government may have purchased the site as part of the St Johns Park Health redevelopment.

ANMF Secretary Emily Shepherd said the “outpouring of support” highlights how critical the facility is for vulnerable elderly Tasmanians, especially those living with dementia. Shepherd expressed concern that other providers seeking to buy the facility to keep it open have been “stonewalled,” and urged the Premier to clarify his position given his previous statements that a shortage of aged care beds is the primary cause of hospital bed block.

ANMF Submits Rosary Gardens Petition Amid Concerns on Government Transparency

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian Branch (ANMF) will today deliver a petition to the Minister for Health Bridget Archer, calling on the Tasmanian Government to intervene in the closure of Southern Cross Care’s 94-bed Residential Aged Care facility, which recently announced it will close in June 2026.

ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary, Emily Shepherd said the ANMF, in a matter of weeks, has obtained almost 700 signatures of support for Rosary Gardens remaining open.

“We have been inundated with letters of concern from family and residents,” Shepherd said.

“This petition and the outpouring of support for Rosary Gardens to remain open from ANMF members, residents and their families demonstrate how critical this facility is supporting vulnerable elderly Tasmanians in Southern Tasmania.

“Its pending closure is incredibly distressing for the existing residents and their families who are being forced to move their loved ones, some who have only recently moved in and are living with dementia.”

Shepherd said the ANMF also called on the State Government to intervene in the proposal by Southern Cross Care to close Rosary Gardens.

“Despite writing formally, no response has been received.

“Concerningly, the ANMF has also been reliably informed that other Aged Care Providers have reached out to Southern Cross Care and the State Government seeking to buy Rosary Gardens to prevent its closure, but these providers have similarly been stonewalled.

“It appears that there is more to the story here. The ANMF has been reliably told that Rosary Gardens has been purchased by the Tasmanian Government as part of the St Johns Park Health redevelopment. The ANMF has written to the Minister for Health asking for transparency on this issue, particularly given the impact it will have on the residential aged care bed stock in Southern Tasmania.

“The Premier himself said the shortage of residential aged care beds was the No. 1 issue affecting bed block in Tasmanian Hospitals, while blaming the Federal Government for lack of support in addressing the matter.”

Shepherd said the ANMF has asked for confirmation as to whether the site has been purchased and if so, whether the State Government intends to utilise the site as a publicly run aged care facility or if not what they will do to remedy the Residential Aged Care bed stock deficit.

“The Government must be completely transparent about this: you can’t on the one hand blame the Federal Government for falling short in ensuring there are enough residential aged care beds to prevent access block and be buying up and effectively closing residential aged care beds on the other.

“There desperately needs to be open and transparent dialogue on this matter to establish a way forward that supports not only the current residents but prevents further access block issues from June 2026.”

Shepherd said the ANMF will continue to support members, residents and their families at Rosary Gardens while advocating for the facility to remain open.

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