Community Alliance Party

A billion dollar health spend would normally be wholeheartedly welcomed by the ACT community, but on the eve of the ACT election people are cynical, because of Stanhope Labor’s miserable track record for health and managing budgets effectively, according to the Community Alliance Party Candidate for Ginninderra, Roger Nicoll.

"The Community Alliance Party welcomes spending on health but, like many in the community, we have lost faith in the ability of recent ACT governments to spend money wisely and to deliver the outcomes that Canberrans most need," Roger Nicoll said.

According to the recently published ACT State of Environment report the ACT has:

• serious GP shortages with GP rates well below the national average
• the lowest bulk-billing rates in the country (federal electorate)
• a high proportion of people with long-term conditions – 79% of our population
• the highest rates of long-term mental health conditions as well as eye, circulatory, respiratory and urinary system diseases
• increasing proportions of people who are overweight, obese or acquiring diabetes
• low consumption of vegetables and insufficient intake of fruit
• just over half of the ACT population is not exercising in line with national guidelines.

"Modern facilities and technologies are important to quality health care and saving lives, but given the recent track record of the ACT government, there is a big question mark over whether the spending will translate to better health outcomes," Mr Nicoll said.

"Regardless of the spending on high technology and infrastructure, health costs and the disease burden are likely to increase unless more effort is put into preventative health care and wellness promotion," said Mr Nicoll.

"Following the failure of successive governments to come to grips with ACT’s growing health crisis, the Community Alliance Party last week launched a policy promoting greater focus and spending on preventative health and wellbeing measures," he said.

"Cooperative community health centres and integrated early intervention and preventative checks and programs are at the heart of the preventative approach advocated by the Alliance," Mr Nicoll said

"As Labor and Liberal continue to rack up multi-million dollar promises each day, it is becoming increasingly important that Community Alliance people are in the next Assembly to ensure wise spending and good government."

Contact: Roger Nicol