Health system can’t withstand $700 million of Liberal cuts

After 13 years of Liberal waste Premier Rockliff has put Eric Abetz in charge of cutting jobs and services to pay for it.

The biggest consequence of this decision for Tasmanians is the $700 million worth of cuts announced for the health system on the second last page of the budget. Today, Eric Abetz re-committed to those cuts.

Even though nurses, doctors, paramedics and healthcare workers have slammed the cuts, Minister Archer doubled down on her misleading assertion that, “there are no cuts to health”.

The Minister is effectively accusing those healthcare experts who have spoken up about the impacts of the cuts of lying.

She also couldn’t name the efficiencies she thought the system could withstand to reach Eric Abetz’ $700 million target – that’s because it can’t.

The AMA said that “it’s impossible to find efficiencies when we don’t have the resources to care for patients in 2026.”

The ANMF said that the cuts would “decimate the health system,” showed “a complete disconnect between the existing challenges occurring within the health system,” and flagged it would only increase the current workload for nurses and midwives in the system. 

HACSU says the system is already running on fumes. 

Why should Tasmanians believe the Liberals’ spin over the nurses, doctors, paramedics and health workers who are already holding the system together?