The Hodgman Liberal Government has made a record investment in health allocating $6.4 billion over the next four years in the last Budget.
According to the latest Commonwealth Grants Commission data, the independent agency which actually calculates the GST distribution, Tasmania is spending more on health per capita than other states and territories, and we devote a bigger share of our Budget to health than the national average.
Martyn Goddard is wrong in asserting that GST funding is tied to health – it is not tied to specific areas.
Our record investment in health includes an additional $50 million in frontline health and the continued roll-out of $76 million in reducing the elective surgery waiting list, which has reduced the waiting list to a record low.
This has allowed us to employ more doctors and more nurses, as well as open more beds and wards across the state.
We are investing in major infrastructure with the $689 million Royal Hobart Hospital Redevelopment and capital works at the Launceston General Hospital.
We have never denied that there was work to be done in the health sector, which is why we committed to our long term One Health System reforms that will benefit all Tasmanians.
The Hodgman Government inherited a broken health system and we are getting on with the job of fixing it.