Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Ludwig, Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing. The South Australian government announced in last year’s state budget that it is cutting its funding for the Keith and District Hospital from $670,000—already $200,000 below the hospital’s requirements at $300,000. The hospital will now be forced to close in April of this year unless further funding is found. In a letter to Mr James DeBarro, chair of the hospital’s board of management, Minister Roxon stated that the government will ensure funding reflects the higher costs associated with delivering services in regional and rural areas of Australia, including providing block funding where appropriate. Minister, will the federal government intervene to ensure that Keith hospital has access to appropriate funding?