Tasmania’s Health Minister is not happy with the federal government’s decision to allocate funding for just one new Urgent Care Clinic in the state under the latest national budget.
Minister Barnett said the $227 million package, intended to establish 29 new urgent care clinics across Australia, leaves Tasmania significantly underfunded.
“This is completely insufficient to meet the challenges of increasing demand on GP services and will only put more pressure on our emergency departments,” he said.
“The ongoing failures of the Federal Labor Government has forced the state to step in time and time again to ensure Tasmanians continue to have access to GP services, as practices come under threat of closure.”
Barnett said the state government has a plan to deliver more bulk-billed urgent care clinics under their “2030 Strong Plan”, targeting growing areas like Sorell, Kingston, Bridgewater, Burnie and Launceston.
The state has already partnered in one centre and solely funded a fifth urgent care centre at Newstead in Launceston.
“Tasmania has been left off the map in Federal Labor’s Budget, but we will not give up,” he said.
“We will continue to fight for our fair share, to ensure Tasmanians have access to primary care, when and where they need it.”
