Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her decision to cut $107 million from Victorian hospitals, causing beds to close across Victoria, including five palliative care beds from Wantirna Health in my electorate. How can the Prime Minister justify cutting $107 million from Victorian hospitals, while at the same time spending the same amounts on carbon tax promotion? Surely, hospital beds are more important than promoting the carbon tax.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I genuinely thank the member for his question, because it enables me to address an irresponsible campaign by the Victorian government to try and hide the impact of its health cuts on Victorian hospitals and the Victorian community. So, I genuinely thank the member for his question, because I believe it is very important that people have the facts. The facts are these. Health funding to Victoria from this government will be increasing by $900 million. Let me say that figure again: $900 million.

For those who prefer to think in percentages, that is a 26 per cent increase over the next four years—from $3.6 billion to $4.5 billion. That is $900 million up—26 per cent up.

So you ask yourself: if there is an extra $900 million coming across these years—going from $3.6 billion to $4.5 billion, a 26 per cent increase from this government—why are Victorians having to suffer hospital cutbacks? I will explain what the answer is. The answer is that the Victorian Liberal government has chosen to slash $616 million from health services. They are engaged—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know the facts do not suit you, but those are the facts.

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I raise a point of order on relevance, Madam Speaker. The question was directly comparing the cuts of $107 million to the spending—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Aston will resume his seat.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let us go through it again: $900 million up from us; $616 million down from the Victorian government. Why are there cutbacks in Victoria? It is because of Victorian government cuts. Did Premier Baillieu need to do that? I remind the House and the people of Victoria that, in terms of sources of revenue—and this is not the only source for Victoria; it is just one example—Victoria is receiving a GST windfall of an additional $286 million over the next four years. Despite that GST windfall, Premier Baillieu has decided to take $616 million out of health care in Victoria.

I share the member's concern about the hospitals in his electorate. The pressure on his hospitals from the Victorian government, from his Liberal colleagues, is inappropriate. I hope he rings Premier Baillieu and says, as a federal Liberal, 'Please, Premier Baillieu, do not cut health by $616 million.' I am sure he would want to say, as this government increases health funding to Victoria by $900 million, that hospitals in his electorate should— (Time expired)

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table this statement from Eastern Health, which talks about the lost Commonwealth government funding of $107 million, causing the closure of—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Aston will resume his seat. Is leave granted?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, we have the budget papers which show the increase in funding.

Mr Tudge interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Aston is warned!