The Abbott Government must come clean with Territorians about the damage its cuts to hospital funding, the GP tax, the proposed hospital tax and medicine price hike will do to the Top End’s health system.
“Tony Abbott’s broken promises on health cuts will cost Territorians $123 million over the next four years alone,” Shadow Minister for Health Catherine King said.
“The Top End Hospital Network, which is responsible for Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospitals, has been cut by $89 million over the next 4 years, and $435 million over the next decade.
“And despite Tony Abbott’s promise of no new taxes, he wants to slug Solomon residents with a GP Tax that will cost them $3.7 million every year just to see the doctor.”
These cuts to the Northern Territory’s public hospital system are part of Tony Abbott’s $50 billion of cuts to hospitals across the country.
Northern Territory Labor Senator Nova Peris said Royal Darwin Hospital was already under extreme pressure and these cuts will just make it even worse.
The GP Tax will place even more pressure on the already overcrowded Emergency Department.
Even before these cuts, the Palmerston Hospital had been delayed by several years and its planned services cut back.
“Royal Darwin Hospital is bursting at the seams. The hospital needs upgrades, like the desperately needed new children’s wing, not funding cuts,” NT Labor Senator Nova Peris said today.
“Darwin has the highest cost of living in the country. The GP Tax will hurt here more than anywhere else and prevent people getting the health care they need.
“The Territory already has the worst health outcomes in the country. We should be investing in our hospitals, not cutting them and we should not be introducing new taxes.”
Territorians deserve a Chief Minister who will stand up to Tony Abbott’s GP Tax and $50 billion cuts to public hospitals.
Adam Giles’ failure to stand up for the Top End’s hospitals and patients will impact on the health of all Territorians.