Essential hospital jobs should be saved 30 May 2023

Tas Labor

Premier and Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff has his priorities wrong.

Rather than save essential hospital positions brought on during the COVID pandemic at the Launceston General Hospital, Premier Rockliff has all but confirmed he will cut these positions.

Tasmanians are getting sicker under this minority Liberal Government and our health workers are seeing an increased demand for their services.

The Premier is yet again asking our over-stretched health care workers to do more with less.

Hospital aides, ward clerks and environmental service officers have played a pivotal role in keeping our community safe and have continued to support health workers with their increased workloads.

With winter just days away, it is the wrong time to be cutting hospital resources and these workers should not lose their job at the end of June.

The government should be making these positions permanent instead of expecting departments to make $300 million in cuts to pay for a billion dollar taxpayer-funded stadium.

If the minority Liberal Government hasn’t addressed the health crisis in 10 years, they never will.

Anita Dow MP

Shadow Minister for Health

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