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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his proposed local hospital networks and ask: how many networks will there be, how many hospitals will be in each network, how many additional bureaucrats will they employ, how much will these networks cost and how will they be paid for?

Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Bear in mind the last answer, Kevin.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grey is warned.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome a question from the Leader of the Opposition based on his new-found commitment to taxation rigour and properly funded and costed policies. As I said last week when I launched the National Health and Hospitals Network, our proposal falls entirely within the funding parameters put down in the current budget. It is a fully costed and provided-for plan. That is the first thing.

The second thing is that, as the Leader of the Opposition will know full well, in terms of the future transfer of taxation burden what we have said is that the GST—one-third of it, approximately—should be instead dedicated to a new National Hospitals Fund—that is, one which is able to get behind the future growth of our health and hospital system and those doctors and nurses who need that support.

The third thing I would say on the future of local hospital networks is this, and again I go back to the example of Port Macquarie. In Port Macquarie, what they said to me on the ground is that the current area system in which they are located is simply too big. What they want is something which deals with a local community of interest, involving one large hospital and a varying number of smaller hospitals within that community of interest—in his particular area, from memory, one at Wauchope and the other one being at—

Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Kempsey.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Kempsey—there you go. Therefore, what we have said in the document, if the Leader of the Opposition would bother to read it, is that we would envisage somewhere between one and five hospitals within a local hospital network. Secondly, I would say to the Leader of the Opposition that we would fund this on the basis of no net addition to bureaucracy. We have said that quite explicitly.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite obviously stand behind the current health system, which has far too much money wasted in state health bureaucracies. What the Australian people want is that money to be dedicated increasingly to front-line services with doctors and nurses, as well as extra hospital beds. Instead, those opposite seem to be defending the current situation, which they seem to regard as fine and dandy. What did the Leader of the Opposition say recently? ‘It would be good to get back to the good old days.’ That is his forward vision on health.

We have put forward a considered plan for the future. It is funded for the future. What we have had from those opposite was, firstly, an idle commitment five or seven years ago that the Australian government should take over the system. They did not act on that. Secondly, the Leader of the Opposition said, ‘What I will do instead for you is rip $1 billion out of the public hospital system.’ That was real action on the part of the Leader of the Opposition. And, thirdly, he then whacked a cap on GP training places.

I say to the Leader of the Opposition on the health and hospitals debate that we welcome it. I notice it took him until question 8 or 9 to even raise the question of health and hospitals in this place. We are proud of the plan we put forward. Australia is crying out for fundamental reform for our health and hospital system for the future—one funded nationally and run locally. I suggest to the Leader of the Opposition, with his five years of wasted experience as a health minister, that he get behind this program, which is designed to work for working families across Australia.