Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

I withdraw that. Contrary to the false information that Senator McCarthy has just indicated to us, the truth is that funding for public hospitals will continue to grow. The truth is that funding for hospitals is increasing to record levels every year. Commonwealth funding for public hospital services has increased from $13.3 billion in 2012-13 to a record $22.7 billion in 2020-21. All up, our government is committed to investing more than $103.3 billion over the next four years. This means that Commonwealth funding continues to increase for all states and territories.

And can I remind those opposite that in the six years under the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd Labor governments they only delivered $73.4 billion dollars. In contrast, as I have indicated, we are delivering more than $103 billion over the next four years. Of course, when those opposite were in government, all that Kevin Rudd and Nicola Roxon were concerned about were the photo shoots in front of the hospitals. Remember 'Dr Rudd' and 'Nurse Roxon' in their white coats? That's all you were interested in. Their so-called health reform was them travelling around the countryside dressing up as 'Dr Rudd' and 'Nurse Roxon' and finding the next photo opportunity. You visited 100 hospitals; every morning the department of health would get a phone call saying which hospital they were going to. That's all it was for you!