The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for Health
Images of The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for Health

THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP

Minister for Health

Newman Government claims on health funding rubbished

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Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek commented on statements from Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg about the health budget.

PDF printable version of Newman Government claims on health funding rubbished (PDF 223 KB)

23 October 2012

Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek today slammed statements from Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg about the health budget, saying they were a complete fabrication.

“These statements are part of a desperate attempt by the Newman Government to divert attention from the savage cuts it has made to its own health system,” said Ms Plibersek.

“Perpetuating myths will not make Queenslanders forget Campbell Newman just sacked 4,000 health workers and cut funding for services such as breast screening and preventative health programs.”

Ms Plibersek said the 2012-13 Budget update released by the Commonwealth yesterday confirmed that funding for health in Queensland will increase by 21% over the next four years:

    2012 – 13 $3,113.3 million
    2013 – 14 $3,259.6 million
    2014 – 15 $3,398.7 million
    2015 – 16 $3,762.2 million
In contrast, Mr Springborg’s own budget papers confirm his government is slashing $944 million from Health and Hospital Boards. This is in addition to the 4,140 redundancies that Mr Newman confirmed on the ABC.
    EMMA ALBERICI: “How many nurses and doctors will lose their jobs?”

    CAMPBELL NEWMAN: “Look, we have undertaken a very important reform this year. We've put the figure out in terms of the overall number of around 4,000 people in health.”

    Lateline, 11 September 2012
Ms Plibersek said the funding Mr Springborg was referring to related to indexation rates based in part on population growth. All states expressly and fully signed up to this formula through National Health Reforms.

“Mr Springborg is cherry picking figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which has revised down population growth forecasts. Funding changes that follow from this information are standard practice.”

Ms Plibersek said Queensland signed up to an agreement that says if you treat more people, you get more funding and if you treat fewer than expected, your funding won’t grow as quickly as you’d like.

“Mr Springborg should stop misleading Queenslanders about funding arrangements and worry more about what his cuts are doing to waiting times and patient care.”

"Of course, these cuts to health are just a curtain raiser to what would happen if an Abbott Government ever came to power in Canberra."
    “I respect the job that they’re doing, I work closely with them as far as I can, but they are dealing with their problems at the state level and I will seek to deal with federal problems at our level.”

    Tony Abbott, doorstop, 19 September 2012

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