Tasmanian Labor welcomes the government’s announcement that the transition of North West Maternity Services will be moved forward to December this year. 

However, maternity services on the North-West Coast should never have got to the point where they were deemed unsafe by the Australian Medical Association.

Premier Rockliff and his government have made an art form of making announcements to get media heat off them and then not delivering. This is a government that doesn’t follow through with its commitments with the debacle of stage 2 of the LGH a classic example.

Labor will be holding the government to account to make sure this announcement is actually delivered.

The Premier must now ensure there is focus on workforce culture and retention, offering career pathways for midwifery services so that mothers can receive the care they deserve.

Tasmanian Labor would also like to see the Premier stay true to his word and “work on a package of support, including individual counselling” to those mothers and families who have been impacted by their experience prior to this announcement.

Premier Rockliff met with families on April 5 and promised this support “within the next week”, but it has now been more than a month and no support has been forthcoming.

Anita Dow MP  
Shadow Minister for Health