Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Right now, more than 90 Tasmanians lie stranded in state hospitals. The key? They're too healthy to be there. Let me rephrase that. Right now, over 90 medically fit Tasmanians who are ready to be discharged lie stranded in state hospitals. Why, you ask? Because those Tasmanians are waiting for federally funded aged-care and NDIS support. Aged care support was supposed to be rolled out in the form of home and in-centre packages, an issue that was a key focus and a strong promise by the government earlier this year. This NDIS funding is being restricted and cut, despite experts, professionals and recipients crying out for support and reform. This failure by the federal government cost Tasmanians more than $70 million in 2024 and 2025. Tasmanians simply cannot afford this, and they shouldn't have to.

This issue is not isolated. Nationally, nearly 4,000 long-term patients are stranded in state hospitals due to a lack of aged-care or NDIS support available to transition them out of acute care. The Prime Minister is playing the blame game, telling state and territory governments to just spend less if they want government support. Well I say to the Prime Minister, maybe states wouldn't have to spend so much if your government would adequately fund aged care and stop stripping away the NDIS. You all clap your hands over inadequate hospital funding and slow aged-care package rollouts. I don't know about you, but a decline of 54 aged-care beds in Tasmania doesn't deserve any applause, and it certainly isn't anything to be proud of.

I call on the health minister to stop negotiating and start funding what we already know is needed, and bring those stranded Tasmanians out of hospital and into appropriate aged care.