Damian Hale (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to make my contribution to the debate on the Health Care (Appropriation) Amendment Bill 2008. This vitally important bill proposes to amend the Health Care (Appropriation) Act 1998. It is a vital bill because, among other things, it provides the legislative basis for the Commonwealth to pay financial assistance, under the Australian healthcare agreements, to the states and territories. At the COAG meeting in March this year the Prime Minister, along with all state and territory leaders, announced that the Rudd Labor government would relieve pressure on our public hospitals by committing $1 billion in additional funding. The passing of this bill is an essential part of implementing our commitment to allocate $1 billion for 2008-09 and to pay $500 million of that money to the states and territories before the end of the financial year.

The current Australian healthcare agreement expires on 30 June this year. To ensure that there is no break in the continuation of hospital payments to the states and territories, we must pass the amendments to this act during the winter sittings. Importantly, it should be noted that these amendments will ensure the continuation of public hospital and related funding for the next financial year. During this time, new agreements will be developed and put in place because, by rolling over these terms and conditions for another year, the Commonwealth can start delivering on our commitment to improve health care for all Australians. Our government is absolutely committed to delivering on election promises. Our budget initiatives demonstrate this, and this bill definitely demonstrates this. It is about delivering healthcare improvements for the people of Australia. After a decade of funding cuts and neglect, we are committed to working with states and territories to fix our hospitals and deliver health care to working families.

This is an important issue because, for the first time in 11 years, we have an opportunity to end the blame game when it comes to public health. As I said earlier this week, all the regions of the Northern Territory have suffered due to the blame game continually being played, and what this has caused is confusion, resentment and a lack of progress on many key issues that are affecting the lives of the good people of the Top End. Never has it been more evident than in health care.

The people of Australia, particularly the people in Solomon, suffer as a result of the previous government’s neglect and underfunding of the Australian healthcare system. That is why this piece of legislation is not only good for Australians but absolutely essential. I have been speaking with the Northern Territory government about this bill, because that is what the government wants to do—we want to talk to our colleagues in the states and territories, unlike those opposite, who for 11 years were in a perfect position to work with states and territories to improve the lives of Australians, and yet the best game plan they could come up with was to perfect the blame game.

As I have said, I have had discussions with the Northern Territory Minister for Health, and he has informed me that this additional funding from the Rudd government will go towards things like further funding for respiratory services. Currently there are limited respiratory services provided across the Northern Territory acute care network, despite respiratory and obstructive-airway disorders representing four of the 25 highest volume conditions requiring hospitalisation in the Territory. To enhance respiratory services, $400,000 will be allocated to improve specialist services in this crucial area.

Further to this we are committed to special needs dentistry. Across the network there are approximately 860 patients per year that require access to special needs dentistry, particularly patients who have other complicating factors such as renal and cardiac conditions and physical and mental disability. A small special needs dentistry suite will be established at the Royal Darwin Hospital. This will include the installation of a special dental chair and equipment, and funding to have a special needs dentist undertake the work.

Since 2001, 70 new beds have opened at Royal Darwin Hospital. Along with these beds there have been other new services introduced to address the demands of the emergency department. These increases in patient capacity have resulted in a greater throughput of patients and an increased demand on radiology services. An additional $1.7 million will be allocated to fund additional radiology services at Royal Darwin and Alice Springs hospitals. This is a critical service that needs these additional resources, because timely radiology services assists with the provision of high-quality patient care for treatment and discharge.

These improved services are a start to meeting the current demands and to implementing expanded or new core hospital services across the Northern Territory. In addition we have committed $10 million to establish a 24-hour GP superclinic in Palmerston. There is much work to be done in health. We have a health system that has been neglected for 11 years. But the Rudd Labor government have made a very strong start, and we intend to continue for the long haul. All Australians, and especially the good people of my electorate of Solomon, want and expect an end to the 11-year legacy of neglect from the previous government. This bill and the funding attached to it are a very important part of a long journey to ensure a better health system for all Australians, and we as a government are absolutely committed to delivering it. I commend this bill to the House.

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