The people of North-West Tasmania will now have certainty that they will continue to receive quality healthcare through the Mersey Community Hospital, following the finalisation of arrangements to transfer ownership from the Australian Government to the Tasmanian Government.
The Mersey National Partnership Agreement and Transfer Deed have been signed by both parties, and ownership of the Mersey will officially transfer to the Tasmanian Government on 1 July.
An agreement about the hospital’s future was reached earlier this year, with the Turnbull Government providing more than $730 million to the Tasmanian Government.
This funding will be quarantined for the operation of the Mersey for the next ten years. At the end of this period, the Mersey will be funded through the general public hospital funding arrangements that apply to all other public hospitals.
I want to acknowledge the work of the Tasmanian Premier and Minister Michael Ferguson for their very constructive and co-operative work through this process.
This arrangement provides certainty about access to healthcare for the people of North-West Tasmania and the 470 staff who work at the hospital.
I particularly want to thank the staff at Mersey Hospital for their outstanding work over the last decade.
The Turnbull Government has a rock solid commitment to Medicare and to ensuring our health system continues to be one of the best in the world – where every Australian has access to the best doctors, nurses, hospitals and medicines.
The 2017 Budget contains record levels of Commonwealth funding for Australia’s public hospitals.
(ENDS)