More and more
Tasmanians are forgoing the purchase of essential medications as they battle to
make ends meet under a Government which is failing to act on the state’s cost-of-living
crisis.
Managing
Partner at the Risdon Vale Pharmacy Katie Hayes, has noticed an increase in
patients being forced to leave prescriptions unfilled because they can’t afford
them as cost of essential items rise across the board.
Ms Hayes has tried
to help by advising patients about the best way to cover their medical needs
within a set budget, but in many cases these patients are still forced to go
without.
Medications –
just like food, housing, and heating – are called essential items for a reason.
It is not
acceptable that Tasmanians are being forced to choose which essentials they
will forgo each week as household budget pressures intensify.
Tasmania is in
the grips of a cost-of-living crisis, yet the Rockliff Liberal Government is
failing to provide any meaningful relief.
The demand for
community services has skyrocketed as they pick up the slack left behind by the
government.
A future Labor
government would act immediately to help Tasmanians doing it tough by capping power
price increases at 2.5 per cent each year for the next three years. This would
make sure Tasmanians can do things like purchase all the medications they need
without having to sacrifice another essential item.
Helping Tasmanians should be a real priority for the government, not obsessing over a billion dollar stadium that we don’t need, and can’t afford.
Sarah Lovell MLC
Shadow Minister for Community Services & Development
