Labor announced a $4.5 million investment in TazReach to improve access to medical specialists, which will be focused in the North-West.
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Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten and the opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King joined Labor candidate for Braddon Justine Keay at the Devonport GP Superclinic on Monday to make the announcement.
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“What you've got to do is find the care when you need it,” Mr Shorten said.
“That is why it's important that we get the specialists and I'm talking about cardiologists, I'm talking about ear, nose and throat experts, I'm talking about mental health professionals, that we can get them out to the communities of North-West Tasmania.
“So Labor is committed to making sure that the health of all Australians matter, no matter where you live, no matter what your postcode, no matter what your financial circumstances.”
He said the funding would need to wait until the next national election.
“The only thing that this funding is contingent on is Labor winning the next election. I don't mean here, I mean nationally,” he said.
Ms King said the Labor partly funded the TazReach program, but in 2015/2016 the program was cut by $2.5 million.
“When you’re travelling two hours from Queenstown to come to see a GP, you don’t then want to also end up having to wait a year and a half to see a cardiologist that your GP has referred you to, and those are the sorts of things that are happening as a result of this funding being cut,” she said.
Ms Keay said the funding would allow specialists to travel to rural areas such as the West Coast, Smithton and King Island.
“I know they are crying out for more services around mental health down there (West Coast),” she said.
“The number of stories I have heard from people will just blow your mind, that they feel like they have no hope, that they feel like they have got to go to the mainland at their own cost.”
Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck said he felt it was worth noting that since coming to office the government had increased hospital funding by 40 per cent, and “elective surgery waiting lists are at near record low’.
“Bill Shorten’s promise today is as dodgy as he is; it’s a fake promise that won’t be delivered because even if Labor win the Braddon by-election, they won’t be in government,” he said.