Media release – Michael Ferguson, Leader of the House, 7 November 2021
Parliament week to deliver on our election commitments
This week in Parliament, the Tasmanian Liberal Government will be delivering key initiatives we took to the election that are part of our plan to secure Tasmania’s future.
We will be debating the Traffic Amendment (Personal Mobility Devices) Bill 2021 in Parliament, which is the first in a package of regulatory amendments to allow personal mobility devices, like e-scooters, to be used by people 16 years and older.
E-scooters are easy to carry, great to get to and from public transport and above all, good for our environment, but under our current regulatory framework, electric devices like these are not allowed on footpaths and shared paths – nor are they eligible to be registered for use on roads.
Our legislation will ensure these Personal Mobility Devices can be safely used on footpaths, shared paths, bicycle paths and some local roads, in line with our election commitment. Footpaths and local roads will be decided by Local Government.
Importantly, in recognition that this is a very new form of transport, we have also committed to reviewing the regulatory framework in 12 months to identify and address any emerging safety implications.
Our hope is to see e-scooters parked outside our workplaces and schools, as we deliver on clean, clever and effective mobility solutions that help people get from A to B in ways that suit them best.
As we head towards the end of the parliamentary year, we will also be debating the TasTAFE (Skills and Training Business) Bill 2021, and the Stadiums Tasmania Bill 2021 – delivering the commitments we took to the May election, that the people voted for.
This stands in stark contrast to the bitterly divided Labor party, who will no doubt use the week to whinge and complain about everything, while offering no solutions of their own.
Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Health, 7 November 2021
Labor still politicising the pandemic
It is extremely disappointing that instead of supporting our plan to reopen and encouraging the community to get vaccinated, Labor continue to play pandemic-politics to try and scare people.
As Labor should know, in a highly vaccinated state the majority of Tasmanians who test as Covid positive will be able to be treated at home and not require an ambulance.
However, Ambulance Tasmania is prepared for the reopening date, with recruitment of staff being fast tracked, additional ambulance capacity, and a total of nine Extended Care or Community Paramedics being employed, three for each region.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government has also employed an additional 231 FTE at Ambulance Tasmania since we came to Government in March 2014, with another 48 we committed to an election- a significant increase of 69 per cent.
Importantly, we are prepared to reopen.
We have held firm, to ensure all Tasmanians over 12 years have had the opportunity to get vaccinated before easing border restrictions, and set the higher bar of 90 per cent vaccination.
A significant amount of work has also been undertaken to ensure we are ready for the small percentage of COVID-19 positive people who will require hospitalisation. This includes 152 new beds and an additional 840 FTE employed since July last year, with further recruitment for new beds underway.
Our escalation plans provide a surge capacity of up to 211 COVID ward beds across the State and up to 114 ICU surge beds.
Rather than deliberately spreading fear, Labor needs to state very clearly – do they support our reopening plan, or not?
Media release – Joe Acker, Chief Executive, Ambulance Tasmania, 7 November 2021
Ambulance Tasmania ready for border reopening
Ambulance Tasmania has a clear and comprehensive $5.2 million plan for the State’s ambulance service, as we prepare to reopen the borders on 15 December 2021.
While the majority of Tasmanians who test positive for COVID-19 will be treated at home and not require patient transport, Ambulance Tasmania stands ready to provide assistance.
The plan has been carefully developed with focused strategies that will ensure that Ambulance Tasmania’s hard-working paramedics and volunteers are able to deliver any necessary additional support to the Tasmanian community when the border reopens.
The strategies include:
- Fast-track hiring and induction of 60 staff for Emergency Operations and the State Operations Centre (including Secondary Triage). The recruitment of these staff is being progressed, aided by recent recruitment campaigns.
- Preparation of 12 fully stocked ambulances to be on stand-by and ready for deployment as needed to meet the anticipated demands associated with a potential COVID-19 outbreak
- Appointment of nine Community Paramedics with three located in each Region. This initiative includes an additional three primary care vehicles and will increase capacity to respond to low acuity cases within the community and will reduce unnecessary hospital transports, freeing up ambulances and paramedics for emergency medical response.
- Management of warehouse supplies, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
These strategies are already under way and we are confident that when the borders reopen on 15 December 2021, Ambulance Tasmania is well placed to meet any increasing demand on our ambulance service from COVID-19.
Anita Dow MP, Shadow Health Minister, 7 November 2021
What is the Government’s plan for our ambulance service?
Tasmania’s already stretched ambulance service must be prepared to cope when we open our borders and have COVID-19 in our community.
Shadow Health Minister Anita Dow said the government was yet to outline a plan for the state’s ambulance service when the borders reopen on December 15.
“We know that Tasmania’s ambulance service, our paramedics and volunteers across our communities are already under incredible pressure,” Ms Dow said.
“Our state has some of the worst ambulance response times in the country, ramping is getting worse at our major hospitals and just last week it was revealed that police are being forced to attend to patients when ambulances are unavailable.
“With this type of pressure without COVID cases in the state, how will our ambulance service cope with COVID cases?
“The government need to outline their plan and inform the community how additional support will be provided to our paramedics and volunteers when we open our borders.
“Tasmania’s ambulance service is critical and our community, hardworking paramedics and volunteers need to be confident that the necessary plans are in place once the borders reopen and COVID enters the state.”
Letter to Members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council – Andrew Wilkie MP, Independent MHR for Clark, released 8 November 2021
Gaming Control Amendment Bill 2021
Media release – Kristie Johnston MP, Independent Member for Clark, 8 November 2021, 2.00pm (today)
Time for Josh Willie to take a stand
The Independent Member for Clark, Kristie Johnston, has called on the upper house member for Elwick, Josh Willie, to stand up for his constituents and vote in parliament to support effective harm minimisation measures for poker machines in Tasmania.
“This is ground zero,” Ms Johnston said.
“If Mr Willie votes with the Liberals to waive through this flawed legislation, that shows he doesn’t care about his community.
“He doesn’t care about broken families and shattered lives, or the health and community sector workers who have to pick up the pieces of poker machine addiction.
“This is not a drill. There will be no second chance for Labor in the Legislative Council. What Mr Willie and his Labor colleagues, Sarah Lovell, Bastian Seidel, Craig Farrell and Jo Siejka, do will define them for the rest of their time in parliament.
Ms Johnston said she visited the Elwick Hotel in Main Road Glenorchy at 2am this morning to see for herself who could possibly be playing the pokies at that hour on a Monday morning.
“There were six or so people transfixed by the machines. That’s not recreational playing. No one plays pokies at that hour of the morning unless they are addicted.
“These are real people, experiencing real harm. Labor MLCs must act now. They must stand up for their constituents and not the self-interests of the poker machine industry.
