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

The criteria will be: when we demonstrate that we have invested the $64 billion in the health agreement, an increase of $22 billion, and when we demonstrate $600 million to reduce elective surgery waiting time, as promised, which means over 41,000 procedures delivered under stage 1. We will demonstrate our commitment to the health system when $750 million for emergency departments has been provided. That is how we will demonstrate our commitment to the hospital system in this country—unlike the Liberals, who did not demonstrate any support for the hospital system—because all they could do was work out how to take $1 billion away from it.

We will demonstrate our commitment to the hospital system by ensuring $3.2 billion for the HHF to rebuild health infrastructure, with 32 iconic health projects across Australia. That is how we will be able to test how successful we have been: when we deliver on all of these projects. I hope those opposite will be there to watch it. (Time expired)