Health is central issue in Tas poll: ALP

Tasmanian Labor is jumping on the federal government's health policy bandwagon,
staking it out as the most important issue at its election campaign launch in
Hobart.
The first three-quarters of Premier David Bartlett's speech on Monday to 200
faithful was about the state's health system.
He said the system was failing to deliver for Tasmanians, highlighting shortcomings
while detailing a spending package involving the government buying a private
hospital.
He gave a very light touch to the fact that a Labor state government had for the
past 12 years been in charge of Tasmania's health system.
"The health needs of Tasmanians are Labor's top priority," he told the audience,
including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Mr Bartlett promised $565 million to buy back the Hobart Private Hospital,
previously privatised by the Liberals, as part of plans to expand and improve the
Royal Hobart Hospital.
He's also promised $50 million more to cut elective surgery waiting times and $12
million for four seven-day "walk-in" GP clinics aimed at easing hospital emergency
departments.
Mr Bartlett entered the gathering presidential-style, hand-in-hand with his wife
Larissa, to the strains of Fleetwood Mac's Don't Stop (thinking about tomorrow).
He acknowledged and thanked his unpopular predecessor Paul Lennon, seated in the
front row on the opposite side of the central walkway to Mr Rudd, but beside Labor
elder Barry Jones.
The Labor state governments in Tasmania and South Australia, both of which go to the
polls on March 20, support Mr Rudd's planned overhaul of the hospital system as
health is positioned as a dominant federal election issue.
Mr Rudd said the nationally funded but locally run health network proposal he'll
take to the next federal election would further benefit Tasmania.
"The Australian government has increased our investment in hospitals here in
Tasmania by 49 per cent already, compared to the days of the Howard government," Mr
Rudd said.
"Under our healthcare agreement we've increased our investment from $930 million to
$1.4 billion to support health and hospital services across this state."
Tasmanian Liberal health spokesman Brett Whiteley said Mr Bartlett's hospital
acquisition plan relied upon $339 million of federal money that didn't exist.
"It won't exist unless Kevin Rudd's health reform proposal is agreed to by all the
states or passed at a referendum - an unlikely prospect," Mr Whiteley said.
"No wonder Mr Bartlett has fallen over himself to write to state premiers to get
them to agree to Kevin Rudd's plan.
"He has bet his election campaign on getting the money."
Mr Whiteley said a Liberal state government would build a new Royal Hobart Hospital
on its existing site, regardless of what happened federally.