Health is again at the top of the list for Labor in the battle for the Braddon byelection, with less than three weeks to polling day. Labor candidate Justine Keay and shadow health and medicare minister Catherine King visited Steven Vickery in Ulverstone to discuss the problems he was having with his health. Mr Vickery said he had sleep apnea which could cause issues such as blood pressure, heart attacks and not breathing while your sleeping. “I’m tired in the mornings and I can wake up in the night startled because I haven’t been breathing. It is bad,” Mr Vickery said. He said he had been on a waitlist for quite a while and was meant to be seen this week, but the appointment was cancelled due to equipment failure. “We got the letter today and it is not until April 2019 until I can be seen.” Ms Keay said she had been talking to Steven and Angela (Steven’s wife) about his complex health issues. “This happens across Tasmania all the time and what we want to see is Tasmanians accessing the health services they need when they need it,” Ms Keay said. “That is why under a Shorten Labor government we would provide $4.5 million to the TazReach program which is an important program where specialists come to us. This was cut by Malcolm Turnbull but we will reinstate it.” But acting health minister Elise Archer said the Turnbull and Hodgman governments were the only ones who had proven to deliver on health and elective surgery. “The fact is there is more funding for hospitals than ever before, with more than 600 extra frontline staff in the health system and improvements in outpatient and elective surgery waiting times,” Ms Archer said. “Our latest budget includes a further $20 million for elective surgery, bringing our investment to more than $100 million since 2014,” she said. Ms Keay said this was a marginal seat. “Health is a critical issue in this electorate. There are so many people here that are waiting on elective surgery,” Ms Keay said.
Waiting game: Steven Vickery reached out to Braddon Labor candidate Justine Keay and shadow health minister Catherine King for support.
Health is again at the top of the list for Labor in the battle for the Braddon byelection, with less than three weeks to polling day.
Labor candidate Justine Keay and shadow health and medicare minister Catherine King visited Steven Vickery in Ulverstone to discuss the problems he was having with his health.
Mr Vickery said he had sleep apnea which could cause issues such as blood pressure, heart attacks and not breathing while your sleeping.
“I’m tired in the mornings and I can wake up in the night startled because I haven’t been breathing. It is bad,” Mr Vickery said.
He said he had been on a waitlist for quite a while and was meant to be seen this week, but the appointment was cancelled due to equipment failure.
Ms Keay said she had been talking to Steven and Angela (Steven’s wife) about his complex health issues.
“This happens across Tasmania all the time and what we want to see is Tasmanians accessing the health services they need when they need it,” Ms Keay said.
But acting health minister Elise Archer said the Turnbull and Hodgman governments were the only ones who had proven to deliver on health and elective surgery.
“The fact is there is more funding for hospitals than ever before, with more than 600 extra frontline staff in the health system and improvements in outpatient and elective surgery waiting times,” Ms Archer said.
“Our latest budget includes a further $20 million for elective surgery, bringing our investment to more than $100 million since 2014,” she said.
Ms Keay said this was a marginal seat.
“Health is a critical issue in this electorate. There are so many people here that are waiting on elective surgery,” Ms Keay said.