Health crisis cover-up claim

THE Opposition has called on the Health Minister to release an overdue report on the health of Tasmanians that would spell out the impact of Liberal government policies since the party came to power.

The State of Public Health report, released every five years, steps out in detail Tasmanian health trends. It usually measures the performance of different initiatives.

It has been released every five years since 2003 as a requirement of the Public Health Act 1997 but the Government did not release the report in 2018.

A Public Health spokesman said: “Due to the outbreak of meningococcal disease in Tasmania and the subsequent public immunisation campaign requiring prioritisation of Public Health Resources, the State of Public Health report was un- fortunately port is finalised.”

Labor health spokeswoman Sarah Lovell accused Health Minister Michael Ferguson of “covering up the health crisis”.

“The State of Public Health report is critical to give all Tasmanians a clear picture of what is happening in our hospitals.

“If Michael Ferguson has nothing to hide, he must release it immediately.

“If he does not, it speaks volumes about his failings as a Health Minister and his determination to keep the extent the debacle he has created in health hidden.” delayed. The recurrently being