Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, Albury-Wodonga desperately needs a new hospital on the border. Last year the member for Farrer said the government is 100 per cent behind a new hospital, but Senator Hume has said the government does not have a funding role. The Deputy Prime Minister has said the same. But that's not true. The government gave Shellharbour Hospital $128 million and Geelong hospital $50 million before the last election. So which is it, Treasurer? Does the government fund regional hospitals or not, and will you commit $300 million for a new cross-border hospital in Albury-Wodonga as soon as possible?

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. She has raised this issue specifically with me and she is aware that the Commonwealth is helping to support hospitals to a record amount. Under this government hospital funding in Australia is at a record high. We consider a range of infrastructure projects, but, as the honourable member knows, there is a real role there for state governments. State governments have a real role to play in funding those infrastructure projects. So we'll consider proposals on their merits, but we recognise that the Commonwealth does help fund hospitals. But, when it comes to infrastructure projects, state governments have a key role to play.