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

Sorry, Mr President. I am certain that Senator Trood was not here when the previous government ripped $1 billion out of the health system. That is what the previous government did. Senator Trood might want to go back and look at the record. Our record is quite clear on this. The Rudd government is committed to retaining the Medicare safety net. The Rudd government is rebuilding the health system with $64.4 billion in funding announced through the COAG meeting—$60.4 billion over five years for the national healthcare agreement, $500 million in 2008-09 for subacute beds, $1.1 billion to train more doctors, nurses and other health professionals. (Time expired)