Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. I refer to the government's decision to stop funding through the health flexible funds a preventive health agency called the CO-OPS obesity prevention network, which is working to combat chronic disease. Given that nearly $800 million is being cut from the flexible funds over the next four years, is CO-OPS just the first in a long list of casualties that will result from the cuts to these funds?

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

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given that the CO-OPS were advised of the decision only once it had leaked from the Department of Health, can the assistant minister guarantee that every single other funded service under the flexible funds will have its funding extended beyond 30 June of this year?

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

Firstly, the organisations were well aware that this was a program that finished on 30 June 2015, so I do not think there can be any indication that there have been surprises in this area. It was a ceasing program. In terms of the flexible funds, funding has been committed over the next 12 months. The senator would well know that. Indeed, as has been indicated very clearly, no decisions have been taken yet about the changes to the funding arrangements of those flexible funds—no decisions at all. The minister has indicated that she will be working very closely across the sector in terms of delivering the efficiencies and the expectations around service quality that are required not only by the government but by the taxpayers whose funds go towards these programs.

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Does the minister agree with the CEO of the Public Health Association, Michael Moore, that cuts to the chronic disease prevention and service improvement flexible fund make 'no sense from a policy or an economic perspective'?

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

I have a very good relationship, I have to say, with Michael Moore and have a very high degree of regard for the work he does. But just to reiterate—and I would be happy to clarify this with him—again, there have been no cuts to the flexible funds as announced in the budget. Those references to those funds in the budget are under consideration at the moment. Indeed, it is disappointing that those on the other side would choose to scaremonger about these programs when they should know—if they had been listening they would know full well—that no decisions have been taken around the changes to funding arrangements for those funds. I reiterate again that the minister has said she will be working very closely across the sector to ensure that we get that service delivery that is expected.