Shadow Health Minister Dr Bastian Seidel has blasted the Liberal Party for their woefully insufficient response to the crisis that is engulfing Tasmania's health system.
Speaking from the Kingston Community Health Centre, one of 30 Community Health Centres to be upgraded across the state under a majority Labor Government, Dr Seidel said the Liberal Party lacked the ideas to solve the ongoing health crisis.
"The Liberal Party has presided over the worst health system in the country for the past seven years," Dr Seidel said.
"Now they think they can just throw money at the chaos they have caused to our health system and it will go away, but they tried that last election and failed.
"It is like putting a band-aid on a broken leg, it just does not work.
"As a doctor with years of experience in the health system, I understand what it takes to solve the problems that the Liberals have caused over the past seven years.
"And I know Tasmania simply cannot afford another four years of the same incompetence.
"The Liberals don't understand that health care is delivered by people, not buildings.
"Labor has launched a comprehensive Health Action Plan to address the root causes of the problems that have developed on Peter Gutwein's watch.
"Only Labor is working for Tasmanians to solve Tasmania's health crisis."
Labor's Health Action Plan includes:
- $390 million to complete Stage 3 of the Royal Hobart Hospital upgrade including the redevelopment of the Repatriation Hospital
- 65 more doctors and 150 more nurses to clear the outpatient and elective surgery waitlists
- An extensive investment in 17 rural and regional hospitals as well as upgrading 30 Community Health Centres
- Comprehensive Ambulance Strategy to end ramping and provide 24/7 paramedic coverage across the state
- Return Maternity Services to the Mersey Hospital as part of our North West Hospital plan
- Establishing a new Suicide Prevention commissioner as well as a new mental health facility at the North West Regional Hospital
Dr Bastian Seidel MLC
Shadow Health Minister
