Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. It refers to the report of the House of Representative Standing Committee on Health and Ageing tabled today, entitled The blame game: report on the inquiry into health funding, which finds that the community is getting sick of blame shifting between governments about the inadequacies of Australia’s health system. What action will the Prime Minister take to stop the blame game in health between the Commonwealth and the states? Why has the Prime Minister rejected major reform of the health system, despite the fact that the health minister has described the current funding arrangements between the Commonwealth and the states as ‘a dog’s breakfast’?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government has already taken a large number of very significant measures to end the blame game. In the area of mental health we reached an agreement more than a year ago that both the Commonwealth and the states would increase their commitment. We put our money on the table, and I might say to the Leader of the Opposition that we put our money on the table unconditionally. We said we would spend $1.9 billion more, irrespective of how the states responded. To date, I am sorry to say, not all of the states have responded very well. Victoria is the best. Victoria has matched the Commonwealth to the tune of about 80 per cent of its pro rata share; New South Wales and the ACT, about 70 per cent; Queensland, I think, is about half; Tasmania, Western Australia and the Territory have not contributed any new money.

Let me say to the Leader of the Opposition that the way forward in these areas is cooperative action between the Commonwealth and the states. We had a deal, an understanding, on mental health. We have honoured our share of the agreement. Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition could talk to his friend the Premier of Queensland and ask the Premier of Queensland to lift from 50 to 100 per cent his obligation under the understanding we reached.