What does Labor stand for?

Michael Ferguson,Minister for Health

After ditching one signature policy, it’s way past time for Rebecca White to clarify whether Labor’s “medi-hotels” policy still stands.

During last year’s election Ms White made putting sick people into hotels the centrepiece of her health policy. It was just about the only element of Labor’s shambolic policy which remained unchanged in each of its 7 re-writes during the campaign.

So is it still Labor policy, or did it get quietly dumped when Ms White palmed off the health portfolio to Sarah Lovell after the election?

In the process of her backflip on pokies, Ms White appeared to suggest that as an Opposition there is no point having any health or education policies. And when reshuffling her Shadow Cabinet for the umpteenth time last week she said that Labor’s entire policy platform was to be reviewed and rewritten – an admission that they have no answers and no position on the things that are most important to Tasmanians.

There is no doubt the Labor Party is in massive internal turmoil, and the fact they can’t even tell media or the public which of their policies still exist is a clear demonstration of that.

The Government recognises that policy on the run that leaves unwell patients in hotel rooms is a dangerous experiment. Ms White hasn’t mentioned her “medi-hotels” policy for nearly a year. We call on Ms White to clarify if it is still Labor policy or that it’s also been dumped.

/Public Release. View in full here.