Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, this is a major step towards building for the future—unlike what the Liberals did in their 11½ years. They neglected the issues and did not do what needed to be done. This government is committed to providing a fund for the future. But that is not our only investment in health; we are also investing an additional $1 billion for public hospitals in the next year, which will also go to the waiting lists that are being talked about by the opposition. It is a shame that the opposition did not look at how to address this when they were in government. This government is committed to addressing these issues. In addition there will be $600 million to slash elective surgery waiting lists, $780 million for dental care and $275 million to deliver GP superclinics in local communities.

This is not something that the opposition did when they were in government; it is something that this government is committed to do. This government is committed to deal with this matter over the course of its term. In fact, for the first time, total Commonwealth funding for health and ageing will top $50 billion next year. That compares favourably with the previous government’s health and medical infrastructure fund, which was scheduled to receive an initial allocation of $2.5 billion in the 2006-07 budget, which would have led to $150 million invested in a year’s time.

Our concrete steps to prepare for the future stand in stark contrast to what the Liberals left—the previous government’s 11 years of neglect in this area. In 2003 those opposite made the crucial decision to rip $1 billion from the public health system. No wonder they are complaining about it now in this place. And who were the losers from that decision? (Time expired)