Newly-released Cleanbill research has once again confirmed the Federal Labor Government is failing Tasmanians and their primary healthcare needs.
The Cleanbill 2025 Blue Report found there are no longer any clinics in Tasmania available to bulk bill new adult patients, with Tasmanians also paying more than any other State to see a GP – an average of $54 per visit.
Minister for Health, Jacquie Petrusma, said the data is another demonstration of how the Albanese Government's chronic under-investment in primary care is letting Tasmanians down.
"A lack of bulk billing appointments results in more people turning up to our Emergency Departments with non-life threatening conditions, which increases wait times for all patients and increases stress and demand on our amazing healthcare workers," Minister Petrusma said.
"Canberra's ongoing neglect of primary health has forced us to step in to save practices from closure time and time again, but the reality is, we shouldn't have to.
"We continue to call on the Federal Labor Government to support primary care for Tasmanians and adequately fund Medicare for the long-term.
"We are playing our part under our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future, because we won't stand by and see Tasmanians go without access to GPs."
The Tasmanian Government recently launched the GP NOW Rapid Response Team, with five GPs already commenced and five more currently being recruited.
A $100,000 GP settlement incentive package for 40 new GPs is also being delivered, and applications for our new multi-year funding of up to $250,000 per year to support the ongoing viability of outer-urban, regional, and rural Tasmanian GP practices are being assessed right now.
Minister Petrusma said these initiatives, combined with our other policies to increase access to primary care, are resulting in the State funding around $40 million into primary care.
"That's $40 million the Commonwealth has shifted to our Budget that should instead be invested into our hospitals," Minister Petrusma said.
"It's simply not good enough from the Federal Government and it's past time they stepped up and delivered on their responsibility to fund primary care properly."
