Ms ROSOL question to MINISTER for HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH and WELLBEING, Mr BARNETT
As much as we try not to think about it, all of us are going to die and right now in Tasmania, over 30,000 people are either living with or supporting someone in their final year of life. Palliative Care Tasmania holds space for those who are dying or grieving loss by raising awareness about dying well, providing training and supporting provision of end-of-life and palliative care. Palliative Care Tasmania services will be needed more than ever in the next few years as the annual rate of people aged over 85 will grow fivefold by 2030. The current funding commitment to Palliative Care Tasmania ends this year and the Budget makes no mention of an extension, yet your government has chosen to allocate up to $12 million to a chocolate fountain. Is there funding for Palliative Care Tasmania in this year’s Budget and, if so, where can it be found?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for her question and her interest in this very important matter of palliative care for the Tasmanians who need it. We do have an older population in this state, more so than other jurisdictions on the mainland, and we are aware of that as a government. I am pleased to say that we have a very good cooperative and collaborative working relationship with Palliative Care Tasmania. It was really good to catch up with Veney Hiller at the Budget breakfast in Hobart, so capably delivered by our Treasurer last Friday morning.
I have had a very good working relationship with Palliative Care Tasmania and look forward, on behalf of our government, to continuing that very positive working relationship. They deliver a range of support measures for those who need palliative care. They are wonderful advocates for those who need and deserve palliative care and –
Dr Woodruff – They are caring for 3500 Tasmanians at the moment.
The SPEAKER – The Leader of the Greens should not be interjecting and the minister should not be attempting to take up time by listening to the interjection. I draw the minister to the question.
Mr BARNETT – My point is that we take it very seriously. Their funding support continues through to 30 June next year, as I think the member shared in her question, which is accurate, so I am just acknowledging that. We take it very seriously and will consider any requests and submissions made in the normal process. It goes through a Budget process, as colleagues in this Chamber know, but I put on the record again my thanks for their advocacy, their work and their support. We take it very seriously and I thank them for it.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Ms ROSOL – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary from the member for Bass.
Ms ROSOL – My specific question was about whether there is funding in this year’s Budget for Palliative Care Tasmania and, if so, where it can be found? Rather than just promises of support and looking for submissions in the future.
The SPEAKER – The member cannot make an argument about their question. I will potentially call the minister for Health, but as I understand it, it is not in the Budget beyond 30 June next year and they would need to make an application if they wish to continue their funding. Does the minister have anything he would like to add to that? In that case, that is your answer.
