Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, can I correct the senator's assertions in a couple of areas. It is not a cut to the flexible funds. The senator may have got that from some media reporting, but no decisions have been taken yet around the announcement in the budget for those flexible funds. The senator is also incorrect in using the figure of $800 million. As has been stated in this chamber, the figure is $590 million. What the senator is referring to is the end of the Collaboration of Community-based Obesity Prevention Sites, or CO-OPS, contract, which runs to 30 June this year. It is very important for senators to be aware that there are no front-line health service impacts. Those on the other side might like to assert that there are, but indeed there are not. This was—and the senator may not be aware of this—a back-of-house training, upskilling and service improvement program, not front-line services, and I think it is very important for senators to be aware of that.

The actual program aim of the CO-OPS was to create a robust national knowledge translation and exchange system that links academic policy and practice professionals to ensure best practice in the promotion of healthy eating and around physical activity. So I think it is very important that we look at the facts. And, as I stated, there are no impacts to those front-line services.