Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you for the question. I know the member for Canberra has had a great interest in health issues not just in this region but across the country. I am very pleased to be able to say that, since the election of the Rudd Labor government, we have been incredibly busy in the health area. In less than 100 days we have put in place some of the infrastructure for reforming our health system to build a modern Australia. That is something that the previous health minister was decidedly against—any sort of reform was a dirty word—and I note that the new opposition spokesperson on health has not yet rebutted that view. So, as far as we are aware, it is only this side of the House that is interested in reforming our health system so that we can deliver for a modern Australia and for working families. We have not just put the infrastructure in place; we have also delivered on practical reforms. With respect to elective surgery waiting lists, there is money to provide 25,000 procedures across the country. The 25,000 people who will have their hip replacement done or their cataract surgery done will be able to live their lives free of pain because we are the first Commonwealth government to put money into elective surgery. That is something the previous government never did.

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