Jeremy Rockliff’s signature health policy-and the centerpiece of his campaign launch-is in tatters after the Tasmanian Industrial Commission put a halt to his so-called “ramping ban”.
Following representations by the ANMF, the Industrial Commission has determined there was no consultation with stakeholders on the policy and has blocked its implementation.
Ramping is having a terrible impact on both paramedics and patients, but fixing ambulance ramping can’t be achieved by glib three word slogans.
Morale among health workers is at an all-time low and genuine solutions are needed across the entire health system.
This means more resources throughout our major hospitals, and more resources in our regions to take pressure off our hospitals. Both are key parts of Labor’s health policy.
If you work respectfully with all stakeholders to fix these fundamentals, taking a whole-of-system and whole-of-hospital approach, like Labor will, ramping can begin to be addressed.
But as it stands, after 10 years of failed Liberal health policy which has seen ramping increase 500 per cent, Jeremy Rockliff now has no health policy at all.
Dean Winter MP
