Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Marshall for his question, and I am sure Senator Ryan is listening. This government is acting in patients' interests and investing strongly in our health system. The Commonwealth is providing Victoria with significant additional funding under the National Health Reform Agreement, which I am sure Senator Ryan would agree with. In 2012-13, the federal government provided $3.6 billion in total health funding to Victoria. In 2015-16, health funding will rise to $4.5 billion. It will rise to $4.5 billion. This means the Victorian public hospital system will receive over $900 million—$900 million—in additional funding from the Gillard government over the next four years.