Deputy Leader of the Canberra Liberals and Shadow Minister for Health Giulia Jones will today call on the Labor-Greens Government to finally address underinvestment in the ACT health system and support frontline healthcare workers.

Mrs Jones said for years Canberra has had the worst health system in the country, including the longest wait times; highest rates of workplace bullying, and the lowest percentage of patients seen in a clinically appropriate timeframe in ED.

“In normal circumstances that would be unacceptable, but in a global pandemic context it’s playing with the lives of Canberrans,” Mrs Jones said.

“For nearly 10 years and three Territory elections the Labor Party has promised to improve the health system, but they’ve broken that promise time and time again.”

In January this year, the Health Minister committed to having 70 per cent of presentations at the Emergency Department seen within clinically appropriate timeframes.

“That time is now, but yesterday’s budget revealed only 46 per cent of Emergency Department presentations were seen on time.

Mrs Jones’ motion which will be put forward in the Legislative Assembly today and calls on the ACT Labor-Greens Government to commit to funding the Canberra Hospital rebuild, as well as develop a workforce strategy to ensure we have enough nurses, doctors, and frontline workers to meet the demand of a rapidly growing population.

“The Labor-Greens Government need to acknowledge the extremely difficult conditions they’re putting Canberra’s nurses and healthcare workers under,” Mrs Jones said.

“We need a long-term health plan that will cater to the growing population over the next 10 years and beyond.

“Canberrans want a forward thinking government that can plan for the future, not a government that allows patients to be treated in hallways because the system is under such stress.

“After 20 years of Labor-Greens Government there is no one left to blame – they must take responsibility, invest in the health system, and plan for the future,” Mrs Jones concluded.