Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Minister for Rural Health) Share this | Hansard source

No, I do not agree with the President of the AMA, Brian Owler, in this instance. Can I say it is this government that is actually investing in health better than the previous Labor government did, and I say that with a great sense of conviction, because indeed funding for hospitals is going to increase year on year over the forward estimates. That might be something those opposite have not been prepared to accept, but it has increased. Indeed, funding for public health increases by around 21.5 per cent, or $3.3 billion over the next four years. So, rather than going backwards, this government is taking health spending, in terms of hospitals, forward.

Can I say that in my home state of New South Wales we are seeing a total increase in funding of 22.7 per cent. I think in anybody's calculations that is an increase, not a decrease. On this side of the chamber, we, in a measured and responsible way, deal with the economic decisions that governments have to take, unlike those opposite, who believe in fairies at the bottom of the garden and who are happy to promise funding in the years down the track, on the never-never. It is 'fairies at the bottom of the garden' funding. This side of the chamber is going to make sure that we make sensible economic decisions, and funding for hospitals is increasing.