Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Polley, I can assure you that our government is absolutely committed to continuing to deliver record health funding across every state and territory every year over the forward estimates, as far as the eye can see. If I think about the $130.2 billion in public hospitals, we've increased that by $30 billion—as I said, record funding in each and every state and territory each and every single year. Australian government funding for public hospital activity will increase from $100 billion in 2015-16 to over $130 billion in 2020-21. This will fund more services, more operations, more doctors and more nurses in each and every public hospital in each and every state and territory. Importantly, that—on top of our $550 million investment in the stronger rural workforce strategy—means Australians, no matter where they live in this country, will have access to high-quality, domestically trained doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. We don't make an apology for standing up for better service provision—essential services that Australians need and deserve when it comes to health.

On 1 July 2017, the National Health Reform Agreement addendum commenced. It was signed and agreed by all state and territory premiers and health ministers, and it continues to be based on hospital service activity, with Commonwealth funding capped at 6.5 per cent annual funding growth and 45 per cent of the efficient price of hospital services.