michaelferguson.com

It was the season for arguing differing opinions over the last five weeks – a long parliamentary session by any standard.  Clearly the Lab-Grn Government has been rattled at having been found out for breaking numerous local and statewide election promises…. In the parliament, I took the opportunity to take aim at Labor and Green Ministers who have failed to keep their promises on a range of issues.  Here is my contribution with regard to health, our hospital and our footy: …

During my election campaign, I promised to stand up for our hospital.  So, last week in Budget Estimates hearings, I took the opportunity to call in on Committee A and substituted myself in – so I could put some important questions to the health minister regarding our LGH.  She wasn’t very impressed that I did so, and made a performance of herself in answering… even trivialising the matter with disparaging comments that the questions were only about getting ’some media’!  I was underwhelmed. …

Mr FERGUSON (Bass) – I want to give a response to this Budget from my point of view. …

The Bartlett – Giddings Labor Government has finally decided to do what most Tasmanians have been saying for ages:  we can’t afford Labor’s uncosted adventure into a billion-dollar-plus new hospital on the Hobart waterfront. 

I am also publishing on this site an email sent to DHHS staff… …

Health Minister Lara Giddings today flatly refused to consider any more palliative care beds for the north, rejecting a submission by the Friends of the Northern Hospice and Palliative Care Association. …

Today I want to offer some comments on an issue which is very dear to my heart.  Hopefully, by now anyone who has been following my career will know that my passions are education, family, health, community and economic well-being for all.

Most, if not all, people reading this blog right now are not in the position of having to worry about dying. 

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The Launceston General Hospital is the second largest hospital in our state of Tasmania and has long been a thorn in the side of any Hobart-centric government.

The LGH is a tertiary teaching hospital. In plain English, this means that it is a top-level hospital, providing a comprehensive range of clinical health services as well as giving and receiving the benefits that come with the training of medical students.

Northern Tasmania must never, ever, give up the LGH’s precious status of tertiary teaching hospital. …

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. …