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

I thank Senator Moore for her question, her supplementary question and her continued interest in this area of regional health.

The Gillard government is taking decisive action to relieve the pressure on our public health and hospital system. Our plan will ensure that patients will no longer have to wait all night in a hospital emergency department, with the introduction of the four-hour rule. Patients will receive their elective surgery within the clinically recommended time, thanks to the national access target. We will open 1,316 new sub-acute beds, helping to take the pressure off hospitals, and this comes on top of the 2008 $64 billion healthcare agreement, which was a 50 per cent increase on the last agreement signed by the Liberal government.

We have taken this action in the best interest of Australia, both in our capital cities and throughout regional Australia. These commitments have been completely costed and funded, and will be rolled out to the benefit of the Australian community. (Time expired)