DEBORAH O’NEILL SENATOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES CHAIR OF THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH THE HON. JAN MCLUCAS SHADOW MINISTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH SHADOW MINISTER FOR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SENATOR FOR QUEENSLAND MEDIA RELEASE SENATE COMMITTEE PROBES IMPACT OF HEALTH CUTS ON VICTORIA The impact of the Abbott Government’s health cuts on Victoria will be investigated by the Senate Select Committee on Health during a visit to Melbourne on Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 October, as part of a national inquiry into health policy, administration and expenditure. This week is National Mental Health Week and the Committee has heard repeated accounts from Health Service providers about the increasing vulnerability of people experiencing chronic and acute mental illness. Today the Committee will hear from the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation which states in its submission to the Committee that “mental illness is one of Australias top three leading causes of disease burden and the largest contributor to the disability burden in Victoria”. “The Abbott Government’s abolition of the Australian National Preventive Health Agency (ANPHA) and Health Workforce Australia (HWA) and the tearing up of the National Partnership Agreement on Preventative Health (NPAPH) means that vulnerable people in our community are even more at risk,” Senator O’Neill said today. The Abbott Government’s policy is in direct conflict with the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) which strongly recommends that the “Commonwealth Government recognise the importance of addressing socially produced, avoidable and unfair inequities in health and wellbeing outcomes”. “Tony Abbott must commit to taking action to reduce health inequities, and scrap plans for a new GP Tax and the abolition of Medicare Local’s which will only make the situation worse,” Senator McLucas said today. “The message we are hearing across the country from Mental Health service providers is loud and clear; if you put $7 between vulnerable people and their GP you create a massive problem.” “Local Liberal and Country Party MPs have gone silent when they should be shouting from the rooftops against these cuts to health which will hurt the most vulnerable in their community,” Committee Chair, Senator O’Neill said. The Committee will hold public hearings at the Mantra on Russell in Melbourne to better understand and document the issues facing health providers and families in Victoria. Over the next 2 days the Committee will hear from The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, The Australasian College of Emergency Medicine, The AMA, The Departments of Health, Treasury, Finance and Human Services. “Tony Abbott’s GP Tax is a hit on sick Australians and their families. As Labor senators who support Medicare, we will fight it every inch of the way,” Senator O’Neill said today. “Labor is deeply concerned about the Abbott Government’s attack on universal health care, and the prospect of a two tiered health system,” Senator McLucas said. Senator O’Neill urged Victorians to have their voices heard and make a submission to the inquiry here: aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Health “The Select Committee on Health will provide the opportunity for local and national health service providers, health organisations, consumers and community members to have their say about the Abbott Governments attempt to wreck Medicare and deny Australians access to universal health care.” For more information contact the Committee Secretariat on telephone: 02 6277 3079 or email: [email protected] TUESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2014 MEDIA CONTACT: ANNE CHARLTON 0400 433 743
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 00:15:45 +0000
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