Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I think that the member will find that there was. The figures that are clear are those in the first 3½ years of the program. During the campaign and previously, a lot of those figures were provided to me, as the shadow minister, as they were current. The member can go back and see the increases that have occurred over that time. I am absolutely sure that our figures have been correct. The member also asked about the alleged substantial increase in staff. In fact, what the opposition have failed to ask about is the number of staff that have left. My advice—I do not have the exact figure in front of me—is that there was a net increase, of either 28 or 48, in people finishing contracts and people starting. Actually, there is not a large increase in the figures, even including the movement of the Sport portfolio into our portfolio.

I may have to take some more of the chamber’s time to answer this question. My personal favourite is the member for North Sydney coming in here asking: ‘Where is our money for future healthcare agreement negotiations; and what happened to our $18 billion?’ As everybody on this side of the House knows, as does the member for North Sydney, that $18 billion was never announced by the previous government. It was something they were so proud of that they forgot to tell the electorate during the election. He knows full well that, when you are negotiating with state and territory governments, the process is to put funding in the contingency fund, and that is not available to the public. (Extension of time granted) I think it is absolutely extraordinary that the member would make such a pathetic attempt to highlight this issue. Of course information will be available.

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