Despite the recent tragic deaths of two Tasmanians who couldn’t get an ambulance when they needed it, the Minister for Health has refused to reverse planned cuts to ambulance services.
The Rockliff Government’s planned cuts to ambulance services are in the budget papers in black and white.
The budget shows that funding for, and spending on, ambulance services will go down from this year to next year. That cut will have an immediate, dangerous impact – and its flow on effects will mean less funding in future too.
It’s been deeply disturbing to see how bad things in ambulance services have become – and for the government to still refuse to take the necessary action to fix them. But it’s even worse to see them forging ahead with plans to cut this most critical frontline area.
It was wrong and misguided for the government to plan cuts for Ambulance Tasmania in the state budget. But in light of recent events, we hoped the Minister might take the opportunity to revisit these plans and ensure funding continues to grow. Her point-blank refusal to do so is deeply regrettable.
The Minister has talked repeatedly about the rising demand for ambulances. She’s right. And costs are rising too. That’s exactly why funding for ambulance services has to go up each and every year – not be cut back.
Tasmanians deserve a government that makes their health and safety a top priority. Unfortunately that hasn’t been the case for a long time, and the health system has suffered greatly as a result.
With cuts now planned for critical areas like ambulance services, it’s distressing to think how much worse things will become.
