Terri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Before the election, the Prime Minister said there would be no cuts to health. But the Prime Minister is cutting $390 million from public dental programs that Australians, including pensioners, rely on. No matter what deal the Prime Minister pieces together this week, why should Australians suffer for the Prime Minister's broken promises?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Health spending goes up every year. And, just in case the member opposite is tempted to claim that there have been cuts to public hospitals, public hospital spending goes up nine per cent this year, nine per cent the year after, nine per cent the year after that and six per cent in the fourth year. And school funding goes up eight per cent this year, eight per cent next year, eight per cent the year after that and six per cent in the final year. There have been no cuts to health spending; health spending goes up every year.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Rankin is warned.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sure, there are some individual programs that have been adjusted, but our commitment not to cut health spending has been absolutely and utterly delivered upon.