At the request of Senator Ruston, I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, by no later than 10.30 am on Thursday, 10 October 2024, the final report of the Private Hospital Sector Financial Health Check and/or associated documents.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave is granted for one minute.

The government opposes the motion, which Senator Ruston has brought again this week, because, again, the minister has not been provided with the final report of the Private Hospital Sector Financial Health Check. Senator Ruston, the minister would welcome a request for a briefing on the health check rather than you using the Senate to request sensitive data from private hospitals which we have already indicated is commercial in confidence. The government is working closely with the sector on the financial health check, and the minister and his department have appreciated their close cooperation in that work. We will respect the good faith in which the sector has provided highly sensitive, commercial-in-confidence information. As the minister has indicated, when he does receive the report, he will look to publicly release a form of the document that does not breach this confidence.

Question agreed to.