Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given the Prime Minister promised 'no cuts to health' but has already cut more than $50 billion from public hospitals, leaving what the president of the AMA describes as 'a huge black hole', how can anyone believe a word this Prime Minister says on health funding?

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

This government is increasing health funding every year. Every year under this government health funding goes up.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

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

Member for Gorton!

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

The member for Hotham is warned. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

When it comes to public hospital funding, there is a 25 per cent increase in public hospital funding over the forward estimates period. Under this government, public hospital funding is $3.8 billion more than it otherwise would have been. So that is a 25 per cent increase in public hospital funding.

But this government appreciates what members opposite plainly do not: it is not just all about money. Yes, money is important. But the morale of public hospitals matters. The systems under which public hospitals operate matter. The training of our public hospital professionals matters.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my left.

Mr Giles interjecting—

The member for Scullin is not in his seat.

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

There is a whole range of issues that are important when it comes to delivering better public hospitals and better public schools—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. I will not have this cacophony. The member for Scullin is not in his seat; he may not speak. The same applies to the member for Lalor. You are very moveable, but you may not speak if you are not in your seat. We will have silence. I call the honourable the Prime Minister. He has the call.

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

This government is interested in one thing and one thing only—that is: how do we deliver better public hospital services? We will deliver better public hospital services by, amongst other things, increasing spending on public hospitals by 25 per cent over the forward estimates period—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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

The member for Moreton will leave under 94(a).

The member for Moreton then left the chamber.

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

That will be a $3.8 billion increase in funding over the forward estimates period. The member for Sydney claims that there is a $50 billion funding gap. Well, I have a very simple question for the member for Sydney today about public hospitals, as I did for her yesterday about public schools. If she thinks there is a $50 billion gap, put the money back. That is my challenge: put the money back. And, if the member for Sydney is not prepared to stand up at the dispatch box and say, 'Yes, Labor will put the money back,' either they know that there is not a gap or, more to the point, they just cannot be trusted. Unless the member for Sydney is prepared to say that she will put the money back, this whole line of questioning today, just as it was yesterday, is absolutely and utterly fraudulent.