More transparency required of government

Tasmanian Labor

The government needs to be transparent about the impact that COVID will have on the health system with the Health Minister today flagging the potential cancellation of non-urgent elective surgery and outpatient appointments.

The Health Minister also revealed that 40 staff at the RHH have been furloughed due to COVID, what impact will this have on our already under pressure health system?

Labor Leader Rebecca White said with over 57,000 Tasmanians on the outpatient waiting list and over 5,000 people waiting for non-urgent elective surgery the government’s claim that the hospital system could cope with COVID ignores the thousands who will have their care disrupted.

“There are real concerns in the community about the government’s ability to handle COVID, with the health system already under incredible pressure,” Ms White said.

“Despite the Premier repeatedly telling Tasmanians that the government was prepared to reopen we have already seen a number of key systems fail.

“Contract tracing has been all but abandoned, testing clinics have crumbled under pressure and now we are seeing businesses close to keep their staff safe.

“Our health system was already in crisis before we had COVID in our state and now the virus is here Tasmanians need assurance that the health system will cope.

“Tasmanians want to feel safe, they want transparency from the Premier and they want him to do what he said he would.

“This is not the plan we signed up for and the government need to be doing everything they can to listen to the concerns of Tasmanians, sort out the issues in the reopening plan and ensure that the hospital system is ready.”

Rebecca White MP

Labor Leader

/Public Release. View in full here.