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

I thank Senator Kroger for her question. What I can guarantee is that we have a healthcare agreement which delivers $64 billion. That is what I can guarantee, unlike those opposite, who then took $1 billion out of the system. We are committed to ensuring that states and territories are funded for the health and hospital system. We will deliver $750 million to state and territory emergency departments, and the Victorian government will receive $181.3 million of that. The Victorian elective surgery lists commitment gives $34.2 million for in the order of 5,908 surgeries. This Commonwealth government is ensuring that we have emergency department funding and that we have elective surgery. We also are providing 75 GP training places in 2009 for Victoria. They will receive 17 to deal with the issues that you referred to. (Time expired)