The refusal by the Health Minister, to my request in Question Time today that the Federal Government intervene in the Tasmanian health crisis, was as deeply disappointing as it was predictable. Equally alarming was the revelation that our health system isn’t improving despite the very significant increase in federal funding in recent years.
The additional funds are clearly not being spent effectively and we need to act immediately, starting with genuinely listening to the health professionals at the coal face who have been crying out for years for a complete system overhaul. The Tasmanian Government’s ongoing refusal to implement bold reform is costing lives and the Federal Government’s refusal to intervene in this mess makes them just as liable.