STATE POLITICS

IN response to W. Turale (Letters, June 16) who asserted that the State Government defunded the Rural Primary Health Services Program late last year, I would like to make it clear that this was a Commonwealth-funded program.

I can assure the community that the State Government made several strong representations on this issue, raising it in both correspondence and face-to-face conversations with the Federal Minister.

Primary Health Tasmania acknowledged there were some gaps in its initial announcement and worked with local communities, including through the provision of some additional transitional funding. Although the situation was still disappointing, this funding was welcomed.

The State Government recognises the importance of health services for our rural and regional communities and we have a strong commitment to improving these services wherever possible, so I was pleased that the Legislative Council recently passed our record health Budget.

It delivers the biggest ever boost in health spending, investing $7.1 billion over the next four years to secure over 100 additional beds and employ 350 more health staff.

As I said on Budget day — I am proud to be part of a Government that puts health first, second and third. We recognise there are demand pressures building, which is why we are focused on delivering our long term plan to open more beds and build a better health system.

We will not force sick people into hotels or waste $20 million of taxpayers’ money on a new bureaucracy they do not want.