Page 1305 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 5 May 2015
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So growth in expenditure is being constrained in our health system. But what is also worth noting is that we have significant pressures on our capacity to plan to meet future demand when we see significant reductions in funding from the federal government. We have the arbitrary reduction of funding in our healthcare sector from the federal government, through their refusal to honour the funding agreement set in place by the previous government—an impact on our healthcare system of over $50 million. That is $50 million ongoing in our health budget. That is an arbitrary removal of funding that is needed in our hospitals that the Abbott Liberal government have arbitrarily removed. They have arbitrarily removed it.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, Mr Hanson.
MR CORBELL: Every health minister across the country, whether Labor or Liberal, is saying to the federal Liberal government that they need to reverse this position, because our hospital systems will not be able to manage demand, will not be able to meet growth, unless that funding is restored. We will be working collaboratively with our state and territory colleagues to make sure we get a fair deal. That fair deal can start next week with the federal budget, when we expect to see appropriate commitments for funding to our hospital system and the reversal of those cuts.
Mr Hanson: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: On a point of order.
Mr Hanson: The question was not about how much money is spent or received; it was about the fact that the money that is spent is spent inefficiently—in fact, the most inefficient spending of money in Australia. I would ask the minister to address that point rather than talking about necessarily the quantum of that money.
MADAM SPEAKER: I think the minister might have concluded his answer. You can ask a supplementary question.
MR HANSON: Minister, why are Canberrans paying more for services but waiting longer than other Australians for essential health services?
MR CORBELL: I note that this is really the same question again. In any event I have already addressed the member’s question in relation to some of the factors that drive the relative cost of delivery of health services. As a government we are very focused on wanting to make sure that we improve the capacity of our health system to improve timeliness. And we have seen significant reductions in waiting times and significant improvements in timeliness in a number of key areas. For example, elective surgery is now at the lowest point it has been since 2005-06—a very significant improvement in elective surgery, with the highest number of removals ever achieved.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, Mr Hanson.
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