Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move an amendment to general business notice of motion No. 626 relating to an order for the production of documents.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, by no later than 11 am on Thursday, 19 September 2024, the final report of the Private Hospital Sector Financial Health Check.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government opposes this motion for the simple reason that the minister has not been provided with the final report of the Private Hospital Sector Financial Health Check, so there is no document to provide. Private hospitals are an important part of the Australian health system and an important partner for public health providers. We are working closely with the sector on the financial health check, and the minister and his department have appreciated their close cooperation in that work. The minister has said publicly that this has included the sector providing highly sensitive commercial-in-confidence information. As such the government is unlikely to be in a position to release the full report once it's provided. However, the minister has indicated he is hoping to publicly release a form of the report which will not breach the faith of the companies who provided that commercial-in-confidence information. If Senator Ruston wishes to request a briefing on the matter she is interested in, I'm sure the minister would look to assist.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Greens will not be supporting Senator Ruston's motion at this time. But I want to place on the record that we will reconsider this position if the government has not provided the report to the public by the next Senate sitting week. We understand that the Department of Health and Aged Care is preparing this report for public release and intends to publish it in the near future, and we urge Minister Butler to ensure that the department releases the report as a matter of priority.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 626, standing in the name of Senator Ruston, as amended, be agreed to.