Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Nash. I refer to the minister's answer yesterday that National Party policy goes on to form coalition policy. I also refer to the 2013 coalition health policy to fund 50 per cent growth funding of the efficient price of hospital services. Will the government honour this coalition commitment?

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

The first commitment that the coalition is going to honour is fixing the economic mess that you left us after your period in government, and we are going to ensure that we do that. It is this side of the chamber that is going to honour their commitments when it comes to health. It is this side of the chamber that is going to honour their commitment to ensure a sustainable health system into the future.

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise what percentage of growth funding of the efficient price the government will fund. And doesn't the failure to meet the pre-election commitment to fund 50 per cent represent a cut of more than $50 billion to public hospitals?

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

The specific I will take on notice. What I can tell senators is the fact that, far from cutting funding to hospitals, we are actually increasing it. As I said yesterday—perhaps those opposite were not listening—we are actually going to increase hospital funding by nine per cent in 2014-15, by nine per cent the year after that, by nine per cent the year after that, by six per cent the year after that. There is $70 billion going into hospitals over the forward estimates, going from $14 billion to $18.9 billion. So, far from cutting funding to hospitals, we are increasing it.

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Following the government's decision to tear up the national partnership agreement on improving public hospital services, can the minister confirm that the government is walking away from the National Elective Surgery Target? Does the minister agree with the South Australian government that this will lead to a doubling in elective surgery waiting times?

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

We are not walking away from our requirement to ensure that health improves through our hospitals and through the arrangements that we have with the states. We will ensure that. The NPA that the senator refers to fell down in many areas, which is why it was not continued. It is this government that is going to have appropriate arrangements in place ensuring that we have responsible allocation for funding for better outcomes in our hospitals. It is this government that is going to commit to do that and not those opposite.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on point of order on direct relevance. The specific question is around the National Elective Surgery Target. While the minister has talked vaguely about what they are going to do, the question was about the National Elective Surgery Target.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ketter did ask, and I wrote it down in particular: 'Can the minister confirm about walking away and does the minister agree?' The minister did say, 'No, we are not walking away.' The minister was directly relevant.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, she said that she was not walking away from something else.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will review the Hansard.

Senator Jacinta Collins interjecting—

Order, Senator Collins! I believe the minister was being directly relevant and the minister has 26 seconds left to answer the question. Minister, you have the call.

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

Thank you, Mr President. I had concluded my answer.