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

As I said, I do not want the member for North Sydney to suggest that we were not answering the questions he has asked. I can run quickly through them. The program that is targeting drug use amongst young people for methamphetamines is an important one that we will continue—$17.9 million over four years is being allocated to that project. We know that there are some at-risk groups where those rates are going up. This will continue to be an important focus of the government.

No, we did not tell the pathology industry prior to our announcements in the budget about the changes that were anticipated. No, we do not intend to release the methodology for the negotiation skills and tactics we used with the states and territories. I will take a very dim view of premium increases that are sought by any private health insurance fund that does not want to take other measures to try to keep members within their fund. There are a range of things that we intend to work with in the industry that will ensure that private health insurance continues to be attractive to the community. That is something that the funds themselves obviously do need to be aware of.

My ministerial colleague Joel Fitzgibbon has been desperate for me to make some comments about him being the better looking Fitzgibbon when it comes to views that people might have about private health insurance! I am pleased I have been able to get that in Hansard.

Finally, the member opposite would be aware that the Minister for Finance and Deregulation is technically the minister responsible for Medibank, in terms of being the sole shareholder and in terms of Commonwealth funding. Those questions would need to be directed to him. The $50 million that has been provided for—and I know the member has a particular, personal interest in the Chris O’Brien project—has been for capital works and not recurrent works, but we are in ongoing discussions with the states and territories on a range of initiatives, particularly relating to cancer. The capital cost is high but the recurrent cost is also very high. That is something we continue to engage with them on.

In respect of the amount of money that will be raised from the increase to the alcopops excise, the member opposite can rest assured that I will be arguing very strongly with my cabinet colleagues for a significant amount of that funding to be allocated to binge-drinking strategies.

Proposed expenditure agreed to.

Defence

Proposed expenditure, $19,923,409,000

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