New South Wales budget estimates confirmed that the Labor Government has cut $250 million from the $650 million for palliative care over the next four years, rather than the $150 million reported last year.
Joshua Rowe, NSW/ACT State Director for the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) said, “not only do these cuts jeopardise the quality of care for the terminally ill, cruelly restricting choices in end-of-life care but they also reduce the availability of quality palliative care in NSW.”
He continued, “It is particularly distressing that this substantial cut includes a staggering 50% reduction in funding for pediatric palliative care, directly impacting the most vulnerable members of our community. These cuts coincide with an allocation of $100 million in funding for assisted suicide, raising serious questions about the government’s financial priorities.
“In the recent Budget Estimates session, Health Minister Ryan Park refused to rule out the possibility of additional future cuts to palliative care funding, leaving the community in a state of uncertainty about the future of this essential and compassionate service”.
The ACL calls on the Labor Government to reconsider these cuts, prioritise the well-being of the terminally ill, and restore adequate funding to palliative care services. Additionally, we call on all NSW residents to sign the Hon Susan Carter’s parliamentary petition calling for the reinstatement of funds. Link to petition included below:
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lc/pages/epetition-details.aspx?q=TCDPkH-n_irjDpWLSkyyOA
