Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to acknowledge the Tangentyere women from Central Australia in the public gallery. My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Fierravanti-Wells. Can the minister confirm the Turnbull government's $715 million cut to public hospitals from 2017-20 is equivalent to 2,010 nurses a year, 198,000 cataract extractions, 27,000 knee replacements or 118,000 births?

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

I thank the senator for her question. Contrary to the lies that you have just peddled, the truth is that funding for public hospitals—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I ask you to withdraw that particular imputation.

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

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McCarthy, a supplementary question?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In 2016-17, emergency departments saw a record number of people, with 7.8 million presentations. People are waiting longer than ever for critical elective surgery under the Turnbull government. Minister, how much longer will Australians have to wait for critical elective surgery as a result of the Turnbull government's most recent cut to public hospitals?

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

I don't accept the premise of your question, Senator. The government recently put forward a generous funding offer to the states and territories which would deliver $30 billion in new funding to public hospitals over five years from 2020, providing almost $128 billion over five years from 2020. It will see tens of millions of services for Australians in our public hospitals, supporting thousands of new frontline doctors and nurses in those hospitals. Every year would be a record funding amount for every state and territory. We welcome the decision by the New South Wales and Western Australian governments to sign on to an agreement. The former hospital agreement, developed under Labor, allowed for uncapped funding. Labor then refused to back its unfunded $57 billion hospital promise, finding just $2 billion— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McCarthy, a final supplementary question.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The latest cut to public hospitals represents just one-ninetieth of the $65 billion handout to big business. Isn't it clear the Turnbull government is more interested in helping the big end of town than ensuring Australia's public hospitals are properly funded?

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

If anyone is short-changing patients, it's the Leader of the Opposition, whose phantom hospital funding plan only accounts for four per cent of their $57 billion. In Victoria, maybe the Andrews government should spend taxpayers' money on hospitals rather than rorts for votes and instead of putting politics first by turning his back on more than $7 billion of additional funding from this government for hospitals.

As you come from the Northern Territory, Senator McCarthy, I want to add some information which may be of value to you. Commonwealth funding for public hospital services in the Northern Territory has increased from $135 million in 2013-14 to $316 million in 2020-21, or 134.8 per cent over this period. (Time expired)

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.