Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Clark. We did meet in the last sitting and we have looked very carefully at these matters. Whilst I respect the passion and the focus of the member for Clark, I respectfully disagree on the premise of his question. In fact, on investigation, what I have confirmed is that the Tasmanian government spend on health as a proportion of its budget has increased from 25 per cent to 32 per cent. This makes it one of the highest levels of health expenditure as a proportion of a state budget across the Commonwealth of Australia. But it comes as part of a broader partnership between the Commonwealth and the state of Tasmania, which the Prime Minister, the Treasurer, the Minister for Finance and I have been able to develop.

Tasmania received health funding from the Commonwealth and worked with the Commonwealth in a number of ways. Obviously, there is the GST, which you referenced. Secondly, of course, there is the specific hospital reform agreement. What we're seeing is that Commonwealth funding is increasing from $294 million per annum under the previous government to $424 million this financial year to $524 million by the end of the next financial agreement. In addition to that, what we see is that there are specific partnerships.

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