Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on health care or aged care more broadly. What I have just heard is at least an attempt by the government to defend their record. By and large it will not wash with the electorate, but at least it was an attempt. But what we saw last week was not an attempt to defend their poor policies in this area, their poor application of how they assist in fixing some of the problems at their feet—not at the feet of the Beattie government. What we saw last week was Senator Trood asking a question of Senator Santoro about recent COAG meetings to provide more doctors. The answers went more to the political content of state elections than to the issues at hand. Senator Santoro talked about ‘rivers of gold that are squandered irresponsibly by state governments such as the outgoing Beattie Labor government’. It is no defence to then say that that is not relevant to the debate, because Santo Santoro was talking about the state government, talking up the Liberals’ chances—and, let me say, they certainly needed talking up.

On another occasion last week Senator Trood went to the same point when he asked a question of the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing—again, Senator Santoro—about the Queensland health system. The question was not about the issues at hand but was another attempt to talk up the chances of the Liberals in Queensland. Not to be outdone, Senator Brandis also stooped to it as well. Not only did Senator Trood ask two questions but also Senator Brandis attempted to squeeze himself into the deal, and he directed a question to Santo Santoro, the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, on the same issues. He ended up by saying:

What is disgraceful in this place is that every time I get up to talk about the neglect of the Beattie Labor government when it comes to the health needs of Queenslanders, and today specifically old Queenslanders, not one Labor senator opposite stands up for the health rights and needs of Queenslanders.

That is what he said last week. Hopefully, what we will hear from him when he stands up today is where the Howard government has failed miserably to work hand in glove with the Beattie government to fix the crisis.