More and more Tasmanians are forgoing the purchase of essential medications as they battle to make ends meet under a Government which is failing to act on the state's cost-of-living crisis.
Managing Partner at the Risdon Vale Pharmacy Katie Hayes, has noticed an increase in patients being forced to leave prescriptions unfilled because they can't afford them as cost of essential items rise across the board.
Ms Hayes has tried to help by advising patients about the best way to cover their medical needs within a set budget, but in many cases these patients are still forced to go without.
Medications - just like food, housing, and heating - are called essential items for a reason.
It is not acceptable that Tasmanians are being forced to choose which essentials they will forgo each week as household budget pressures intensify.
Tasmania is in the grips of a cost-of-living crisis, yet the Rockliff Liberal Government is failing to provide any meaningful relief.
The demand for community services has skyrocketed as they pick up the slack left behind by the government.
A future Labor government would act immediately to help Tasmanians doing it tough by capping power price increases at 2.5 per cent each year for the next three years. This would make sure Tasmanians can do things like purchase all the medications they need without having to sacrifice another essential item.
Helping Tasmanians should be a real priority for the government, not obsessing over a billion dollar stadium that we don't need, and can't afford.
Sarah Lovell MLC
Shadow Minister for Community Services & Development
