The Socialist Alliance today called for the nationalisation of the insurance industry to solve the insurance crisis.
Launching the call, Socialist Alliance spokesperson Kamala Emanuel said that to campaign for this solution was one of the new party's priority pledges.
Emanuel, candidate for the seat of Bass in the upcoming state election, said, "Yesterday's suspension of clinical services by Family Planning Tasmania shows yet again that the profit-driven insurance industry is unable to solve the insurance crisis.
"As a consequence of the premium hikes and the collapse of medical defence organisation United Medical Protection, a range of health services across Tasmania and Australia are under threat.
"Family Planning services are just the latest victims to the crisis in the industry; independent midwives and some of the state's doctors are among others," said Emanuel, who works as a doctor at Family Planning Tasmania.
"It's not just a problem for those working in the health sector, but also to the community reliant on their services.
"And it's not just the health sector; numerous community groups have been unable to find or afford insurance for activities that are merely a part of everyday life, like sport and recreation.
"A nationalised insurance industry would be able to offer insurance coverage at an affordable cost, as it wouldn't be run to maximise profits, but rather, for community needs.
"Beyond this, we also need guaranteed income security and an expansion of free, quality public health care, to minimise the public's need to sue in the event of a mishap," concluded Emanuel.
For interviews contact Kamala Emanuel on 0417 319 662.