NACCHO political alert: Opposition Health spokesperson claims Labor can’t be trusted on health funding

Question Time in the House of Representatives

“Funding certainty is critical in the health sector, and only the Coalition has a plan to return certainty to Health.”

Press release Peter Dutton Opposition spokesperson Health

The recent funding announcements from Minister Plibersek was  too little, too late.

NOTE: This press release provided for the information of NACCHO members and stakeholders but not endorsed in anyway by NACCHO

More than that, they come from a Minister with a track-record of generating huge funding uncertainty in Health by making gung-ho decisions and breaking promises.

This is the Minister that slashed $1.6 billion from public hospital services without notice and without consultation. This is the Minister that cut funding retrospectively for services that had been provided, causing hospitals to cancel surgeries and close beds.

This year alone, Victoria has lost another $100 million and New South Wales $144 million compared to what was proposed in the 2012 Budget.

“Tanya Plibersek has consistently betrayed the trust of the medical profession and the Australian people when it comes to health funding,” Mr Dutton said.

“Funding certainty is critical in the health sector, and only the Coalition has a plan to return certainty to Health.”

Not content with creating chaos around hospital funding, Labor has also ripped $4 billion out of private health insurance rebates despite promising never to do so. This decision is forcing up premiums for Australians struggling to pay their cover and putting more pressure on Australia’s public hospitals.

“There is no reason for Australians to trust Labor to honour its health promises. History has shown that you cannot trust this government with Health and Australian patients have paid the price,” Mr Dutton said.

Media Contact: Christian Hayes (07) 3205 9977