Health Minister Guy Barnett’s performance in Question Time provided more questions than answers when it comes to the Liberals’ health cuts. Alarmingly, the Minister’s response suggested cuts could go much deeper than what is currently known.
Thanks to a leak from within the Department of Health, we know the Liberals are making cuts to the Community, Health and Wellbeing division. Appalling, given this division covers Ambulance Tasmania, child and parenting health services, mental health, hospital pharmacies, public health, and more.
As if the cuts that were exposed last week weren’t bad enough, it now seems similar cuts are being applied in other parts of Health too.
The Greens twice asked Health Minister Guy Barnett if his so-called ‘vacancy control’ measures would apply to other divisions of health, including the Hospital and Primary Care division. Minister Barnett refused to answer, instead highlighting the need for the government to be ‘prudent.’
Tasmanians were shocked to learn of the Liberals’ secret health cut plan. After the Health Minister’s words in Parliament, they’ll now be wondering just how wide, and deep they will be.
Health cuts in the middle of a health crisis is a dangerous decision by this government. The Liberals must backtrack immediately, and prioritise health funding instead of the hundreds of millions of taxpayer funds for a billion-dollar stadium.
