Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

In this instance, I thank Senator Nash for her continued interest in rural health matters. If we talk about additional internships, Commonwealth funding may be available to fund the additional 100 intern positions in the private sector through the redirection of $10 million from the Prevocational General Practice Placements Program, but it goes to the heart of what I said earlier. If you look at what this government has done, particularly in providing training, higher education reforms that have resulted in 150,000 students attending university, you will see health disciplines have experienced substantial growth, including growth between 2007 and 2011. There has been a 39 per cent growth in the number of medical students. I think Senator Nash, in this instance, is looking at the wrong end of this stick. (Time expired)