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PRaME MINSTEA Press Statement
] 8 June ] 975
TASMANIA MEDIBANK AGREEMENT
The Prime Minister, Mr Whitlam and the Premier of
Tasmania, Mr Neilson today signed the Medibank Agreement between
the Australian and Tasmanian Governments. The ceremonial
signing took place at the Launceston General Hospital before
Mr Whitlam met patients and staff there.
Mrs Nellie Ellis, a patient at Launceston General Hospital
witnessed the Prime Minister's signature on the two copies of
the Agreement. Legislation on Medibank has passed both Houses of
the Tasmanian Parliament and the Agreement will come into force
as scheduled on July. This means that from that date,
Tasmanians will be able to take full advantage of the benefits
offered by Medibank.
The onyv other State to have entered a Medibank
Agreement is South Australia. The Prime Minister signed a
Medibank Hospital Agreement with the South Australian Premier,
Mr Dunstan, in Adelaide last Sunday.
Mr Whitlam said he was especially pleased that the
two State Labor G-overnments had shown the obvious advantages
of co-operating with the Australian Government in the best
interests of their citizens.
In his Bass by-election campaign speech in Launceston
last night, Mr Whitlam drew attention to the lameness of the claim
of the non-Labor States for additional finance from the Australian
Government, when they have shown such reluctance to join Medibank
despite the obvious financial advantage it would be to them
especially in the hospital field.
Under the Medibank Agreement, the Australian Government
will meet 50 zer cent of the net operating costs of all the
recognised hospitals in Tasmania for the ten year period of the
Agreement. ( A list of recognised hospitals is attavhed).
The Agreement states that " it is the policy of
Australia to ensure that every person has access to comprehensive
hospital care, including medical treatment, provided without
charge and without means test in standard beds of public hospitals." / 2
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The Agreement provides for variation from time to
time to ensure that Tasmania continues to draw maximum
advantage from the scheme and may renegotiate should any other
State negoti= re an Agreement in any more favourable terms.
LAUNCESTON. TAS. 41
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ATTACHMENT Schedule B The recognised hospitals for the purpose of this
Agreement are:
Royal Hobart EHosital ( including the following annexes)
Lady Clark Hospital
Vaucluse Hospital Annexe
Wingfield House
* Alennah District Nursing Centre
Cygnet District Nursing Hospital
Nubeena District Nursing Hospital
Oatlands District Nursing Hospital
Tridbunna District Nursing Hospital
Swansea District Nursing Hospital
Gore Street, Obstetries Division
Launceston General Hospital ( including the following annexes)-
Evandale Division of Launceston General Hospital
Deloraine Division of Launceston General Hospital
George Town Division of Launceston General Hospital
Westbury Division of Launceston General Hospital
Lilydale District Nursing Centre
Mersey General Hospital ( including the following annexes)-
Women's Division
Outpatients' Division
North Western General Hospital, Burnie Division
North Western C-eneral Hospital, Spencer Division, Wynyard
( including the following annexes)
Savage River Division
Waratah District Nursing Centre
Luinna Dist-_ i Nursing Centre
Queen Alexandra Maternity Hospital, Hobart
Queen Victoria Hcspital, Launceston
Beaconsfield District Hospital
Campbell Town District Hospital, including
Avoca District Nursing Centre
Rossarden District Nursing Centre
Flinders District Hospital
Huon District Hospital, including Dover District Nursing Hospital
King Island District Hospital including Grassy District Nursing Centre
New Norfolk District Hospital
North Eastern Soldiers Memorial Hospital at Scottsdale, including
Gladstone District Nursing Centre
Ringarooma District Nursing Centre
Ouse District Hospital
Peacock Convalescent Hospital, Hobart
Roseberry District Hospital / 2
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Smithton District Hospital, including Redpa Nursing Centre
St Mary's District Hospital including St Helen's District
Nursing Hospital
Toosey Memorial Hospital, Longford
Ulverstone District Hospital'
West'Coast District Hospital, including Strahan District
Nursing Centre
Mothercraft Home, New Town, Hobart...... a
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