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

I thank Senator McLucas for her supplementary question. The record shows that the Rudd government can be justly proud of its record in health. Let me start with the government’s record $64 billion funding agreement for health and hospitals—something the opposition never achieved when they were in government. These health dollars started flowing last year and they represent a 50 per cent increase on the previous government’s funding agreement. Next is the government’s $600 million elective surgery waiting list reduction plan, which has already delivered more than 62,000 extra procedures—64 per cent more than the target of 25,000 procedures. In addition, 125 hospitals have received new elective surgery equipment and operating theatres.