Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Health policy is an issue that is very strong among the communities of Lyons at the moment. The Howard government have failed the people of Lyons on this matter—in fact, they have failed the people of Australia. They continue to blame the states for the result of their handiwork. We see the Liberals blaming the states for hospital waiting lists yet there are an estimated 2,000 older Australians waiting in hospital wards who have been assessed for residential aged care. The average daily cost of a hospital bed is $967—nine times the cost of a residential aged-care place. Residential aged care is fairly and squarely the responsibility of the federal government. Labor recognises this, and a Rudd Labor government will examine whether additional transition or step-down care would assist, along with other measures, to increase the speed at which aged-care bed licences are made operational.

Recently the Tasmanian government announced as part of its health plan the closure of aged-care beds at the Ouse hospital. On 12 July 2007 the Acting Tasmanian Minister for Health and Human Services, Steve Kons, announced:

The State Government has been effectively subsidising each aged care bed at Ouse—last financial year by $114,000, which is well over twice the Australian Government bed subsidy.

This is an appalling circumstance and one wonders how this can occur when the Prime Minister is boasting about his skills in economic and financial management.

Labor has a $2 billion national health reform plan. This compares with the doubling of out-of-pocket costs to see a GP since 1996. This compares with figures that show that 65 per cent of Australia has a health workforce shortage. This compares with the policy on the Mersey hospital—and we still do not know if this is a one-off or part of a planned national takeover. The Howard government are running scared in the lead-up to the election and so they have no policy but to apply bandaids in whatever seat they seem to be in trouble in on the day.

Labor has a plan for health infrastructure. Recently Labor announced it will reform the Rural Medical Infrastructure Fund, which is clearly not working under the present Howard government. Many regional communities are facing difficulty in accessing health services. The Howard government promised $15 million at the last election for this fund, but since 2004 only $3.5 million has been spent. Promises, promises, promises. It is time to have some delivery, is it not? Haven’t communities suffered enough? It is time for new leadership on health care and new leadership for Australia—it is time for a Rudd Labor government. (Time expired)