Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In 2012 the federal government met my request for $325 million to boost the Tasmanian health system, but that money runs out in June, meaning the loss of desperately needed services. Funding for the essential psychiatric emergency nurses is also about to run out. Prime Minister, will you commit to a new funding package for Tasmania, including for the PENs, and when will you announce the detail?

Mr Hutchinson interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lyons will cease interjecting.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. I can assure the honourable member that spending on health in his state, and indeed in every state, increases every year. The honourable member will have seen that, at the recent COAG meeting, we committed to an additional $2.7 billion of spending and entered into a reassuring agreement. The growth in spending was set at 6.7 per cent, and the agreement that we entered into with the Tasmanian government specifically was to ensure that, notwithstanding that the growth rate had changed—and, of course, actually had increased—there would be no detriment or disadvantage to Tasmania because of the manner in which the formula was applied. So I can assure the honourable member that the government is very aware of the demands of the health sector and hospitals in Tasmania. We are spending more money every year. We are keenly alert to it and we are absolutely committed to ensuring that Tasmanians have the support from the federal government to ensure that they have health services on a par with Australians elsewhere in the country.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So the answer is no.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Ballarat is warned.