Premier Jay Weatherill ran a fear campaign during the federal election about claimed cuts under a Coalition Government.
Just one day after this scare campaign finished, Mr Weatherill announced cuts to jobs and beds at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the closure of the Modbury Hospital paediatric ward.
“It is the height of hypocrisy for Mr Weatherill to run a scare campaign on claimed Coalition cuts to services and then announce his own cuts the moment the federal election is over,” said Shadow Health Minister Rob Lucas.
“Mr Weatherill needs to come clean and indicate how many nursing positions will be cut as part of this job cut announcement.
“This is yet another broken promise by Mr Weatherill who has continually promised that he would not cut front-line services such as nurses and hospital beds.
“South Australians will be rightly angry at Mr Weatherill’s hypocrisy in campaigning for weeks against claimed cuts by the Federal Coalition whilst at the same time, hiding his own cuts to frontline jobs and hospital beds.”
As previously committed a Marshall Liberal Government would keep the paediatric ward with associated paediatric services at Modbury Hospital if elected to government in March next year.
“Premier Weatherill’s plan to close the paediatric ward is a cruel blow to families in the north eastern suburbs and amounts to yet another broken promise,” said Mr Lucas.
“The paediatric ward provides a vital service for local families and we will ensure it remains if elected to government in March next year.
“South Australians deserve a government with better priorities to get our State back on track.”