Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for that question. As well as pointing out these two very important projects where we have seen the state government in Victoria refuse to cash the cheque from the federal government, I have heard it reported today that the state government has gone around to all of the locals hospital boards and passed on their $616 million of cuts to those local hospital boards to deliver. This is incredibly disappointing. We know that those local hospital boards need extra funding and that is why, over coming years, the Commonwealth will put $1 billion extra into the Victorian health system—a 26 per cent increase.

What is extraordinary about this is that, as health minister, I have not actually had the experience of a state government saying no to funding. Actually, the Queensland government did reject some funding for mental health beds, but the Health and Hospitals Fund money is money that the Victorian government applied for. They asked for funding and they submitted 11 projects that were so needed in those local communities, and now they do not want to cash the cheque. It is beyond me and so very disappointing, because I know that those patients in Victoria need that care. I think what has happened is that the 'no' from November has translated into— (Time expired)

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