Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Would the minister advise the House of decisions made at the recent COAG meeting to provide more doctors and nurses and a better trained and more responsive health workforce? How might this help in my electorate of Bonner?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can certainly understand why the member for Bonner is interested in this topic because, thanks to the Howard government, the number of publicly funded medical graduates a year in Queensland has increased from about 220 in 1996 to over 400 now. Thanks to changes announced by the Prime Minister at COAG, there will be a further 150 places in the great state of Queensland.

At COAG, the government announced a further 605 medical school places a year and 1,000 new nursing places a year. Also at COAG, the government announced more private sector training for medical specialists and a wider range of consultations available for practice nurses under Medicare. By 2012, thanks to this government, there will be an extra 1,000 publicly funded medical graduates a year, there will be an extra 3,100 nursing graduates a year, there will be an extra 486 psychology graduates a year, there will be an extra 297 pharmacy graduates a year and there will be an extra 110 dental graduates a year.

Already, since 1996, there has been a seven per cent increase in the number of full-time-equivalent GPs, thanks to the policies of the Howard government. Obviously, it is not enough yet, but it is significant and it is substantial. On a day of good news from the Howard government, this is more good news from the Howard government. It is further proof that, when it comes to the medical workforce, the Howard government is the best friend that Medicare has ever had.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.