Response to Examiner editorial: LGH cancer services

I completely agree with the opening lines of the Examiner editorial “LGH must be cancer services site” (6/3/09).   In fact, two years ago that is exactly what I achieved.

On October 8, 2007 then Prime Minister John Howard announced immediate funding of $16m for capital infrastructure at the Launceston General Hospital, which importantly did not depend on any election outcome. 

This funding delivered on a list of items I had been fighting for and my promise to a 5,000-strong rally in Launceston that I would do so.  The announcement included a new (third) linear accelerator for Launceston (for radiation treatment of cancer patients), new coronary care facilities separate from the overstretched intensive care unit and added to my proud achievement of a new MRI Medicare licence for the LGH (a scanner which is now being used extensively, saving travel to Hobart for many people).

On the other hand federal Labor, now in government, promised to match my cancer commitment with the added weasel-words: “either the North or North West”.  This was marketed to both communities by Labor without concern for the fact that a decision would one day have to be made and one community would be poked in the eye.

At a St Leonards community meeting on November 10, 2007 (just two weeks before the election), I publicly challenged my opponent Jodie Campbell to fully commit to cancer services at the LGH.  She refused to do so, saying that such decisions are best made by bureaucrats.  For Campbell in election mode, rehearsing her Labor Party script was typical behaviour and became for her a way of life after being elected. 

Given that the voters of Bass eventually went on to help elect the Rudd government, they could have reasonably expected to hang on to the non-election funding for our many initiatives as well as any additional election promises made by Labor. 

But sadly, as more people are now realising, after its election the Rudd Government withdrew the LGH funding including cancer services, as well as the special funding for the Ouse and Rosebery hospitals – with the hushed complicity of Jodie Campbell, Lara Giddings and Michelle O’Byrne. 

“Ending the blame game” sounds lovely, but not when it’s used to conceal dishonesty or reward incompetence.  All of us who rely on a strong LGH deserve a much better performance.

Michael Ferguson, Launceston