Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

There he is smiling—Mr Kevin Rudd. This document is co-authored by Mr Rudd and Ms Roxon. Of course, we know what Ms Roxon really thinks about Mr Rudd, and she was very vocal in telling us so. Goodness only knows what they told each other in those hundred photo shoots that they did together. Let us look at what has happened with this debacle about the funding cuts midstream. We know that Labor has established dozens of new bureaucracies since coming to office, at a cost of $1 billion. So when we look at this latest issue with the states, the health minister will not explain the Commonwealth cuts. All she is doing is making accusations about the states and targeting Victoria and Queensland.

Labor's excuse about the variation in population growth has been debunked by the hapless Treasurer himself.

In the health funding determination, the Treasurer used a population growth figure for Australia of just 0.03 per cent. However, for an earlier determination for local government funding, he used a growth figure of 1.4 per cent, which is consistent with publically available ABS data.

The minister needs to stop playing the blame game, quickly review the Treasurer's determination and negotiate a resolution with the states. The matter needs to be resolved quickly, before even more damage is done. As a consequence of the funding cuts which have been made part way through the financial year, people were sent letters telling them that their elective surgery was going to be cancelled; nurses and doctors were put off; beds were closed. And, despite the reversal, enormous damage has been done. This latest fiasco in health just demonstrates that this is a Prime Minister who cannot keep her promises. In this space of health they have absolutely no credibility. (Time expired)