THE HON CATHERINE KING MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE
MEMBER FOR BALLARAT
JUSTINE KEAY
LABOR CANDIDATE FOR BRADDON
TASMANIA’S NORTH WEST TO BENEFIT FROM LABOR’S ELECTIVE SURGERY PLAN
Hundreds of people in Tasmania’s North West will get the elective surgery they need under Labor’s $30 million plan to slash waiting lists across the state.
Under the Turnbull and Hodgman Governments, Tasmania’s elective surgery waiting list continues to blow out – and has now reached 7,000 people.
Labor’s $30 million investment will fund nearly 3,000 extra surgeries – including an estimated 564 across the North West.
That’s an additional 306 surgeries at North West Regional Health and an extra 258 at Mersey Community Hospital. That means more hip and knee replacements, more cataract surgery, more tonsillectomies and hysterectomies.
Labor candidate for Braddon Justine Keay said: “Labor’s plan will deliver tangible benefits to the people of this area – already so disadvantaged by Liberal healthcare cuts supported every step of the way by Brett Whiteley.
“It means people like Latrobe man Brett Horton will finally be able to get the surgery he needs to escape his chronic pain and get back to normal life.
“Mr Horton’s surgery is classified as urgent – and yet he’s been waiting for four months with no end in sight because of Liberal neglect of our health system.”
Shadow Minister for Health and Medicare said with just over a week to go until polling day the Liberals had failed to match any of Labor’s healthcare funding commitments.
“Malcolm Turnbull, Greg Hunt and Brett Whiteley don’t take healthcare seriously.
“They’ve failed to match our elective surgery plan and they’ve failed to restore funding to TazReach, which funds specialist visits to the region.
“They’re still committed to their plan to give big business an $80 billion handout though. That tells you everything you need to know about their twisted priorities.”
FRIDAY, 20 JULY 2018