MORE JOB CUTS FROM GWAHS: MORE BAD NEWS FROM THIS INEPT STATE LABOR GOVERNMENT

14 August 2009

News today of up to 100 job cuts from the Greater Western Area Health Service is a further indication of the complete wrong priorities of this NSW Labor Government, Duty MLC for Dubbo Duncan Gay said today.

The Daily Telegraph today revealed that 700 health workers have been slashed, including up to 100 jobs from within the Greater Western Area Health Service.

“For NSW Labor to try and fob off this huge job culling exercise as ‘voluntary redundancies’ shows its complete disrespect for vital front line staff from our ailing health system,” said Mr Gay.

“There’s no hiding behind this bout of losses- these cuts were listed in black and white in last year’s mini-budget.

“Minister Della Bosca cannot spin his way out of this mess by using the ‘redundancy’ trick.

“The last thing the State Government’s failing health system needs is a reduction in the number of doctors and nurses trying their hardest to keep providing a service in extremely difficult conditions.

“NSW Labor has again failed to recognise that it’s the bureaucrats that need to be swept out of the health system, not the people at the front line.

“The health system in NSW is turning into more and more of an embarrassment every day, and the continuous axing of vital staff will further delay treatment and has the potential to put peoples lives at risk.

Mr Gay said it was disgraceful that over the last 14 years NSW Labor has managed to let our health system deteriorate into such a sorry state.

“The Greater Western Area Health Service is already struggling because of its huge size- I hate to think what impact a reduction of 100 staff is going to have,” said Mr Gay.

“The NSW Liberals and Nationals have the positive and practical plans needed to get our health system back on track. We will work towards better health results for the people of NSW.”