In a decision which unions have warned will “cost Tasmanian lives”, Premier Jeremy Rockliff has refused to exempt nursing and midwifery roles from his health cuts – making it clear that the Liberals’ claims that frontline services won’t be affected are utterly false.

According to the ANMF, there are currently 500 vacant nursing and midwifery roles across Tasmania. They fear the Liberals’ vacancy control board will refuse requests for these vacancies to be filled, and warn leaving them unfilled will “cost Tasmanian lives.”

Despite these deep concerns, Mr Rockliff today refused to exempt the vacant roles from the health cuts, while also failing to rule out vacancy control to any positions that support nurses and midwives to do their essential work.

The Premier also refused to rule out applying vacancy control measures to pathology and radiology positions.

The Liberals’ repeated claim that frontline services won’t be affected is becoming more unbelievable every time they open their mouths. If they truly meant it – why won’t they just exempt these critical positions from their cuts?

When given the opportunity to name what he considers to be a frontline role, the Premier completely avoided the question – providing the clearest indication yet that jobs across the board are on the chopping block.

However the Liberal government tries to spin their health cuts, one fact is inescapable – Tasmania’s health system is sick enough as it is, and can’t afford any reductions

Ella Haddad MP
Shadow Minister for Health