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Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Page: 6903

Health

Ms BURKE (Chisholm) (14:55): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Gillard government delivering to improve care for patients and create a more sustainable health system? What reaction has there been to this plan and what is the government's response?

Ms ROXON (Gellibrand—Minister for Health and Ageing) (14:57): I thank the member for Chisholm for her question because—

Mr Tudge interjecting—

Ms ROXON: unlike those members opposite, she and those on this side of the House—

The SPEAKER: The member for Aston will leave the chamber for one hour under standing order 94(a).

The member for Aston then left the chamber.

The SPEAKER: The minister has the call.

Ms ROXON: I thank the member for Chisholm for her question, because she is interested, like members on this side of the House, in the reforms that have delivered benefits to patients across the country. But, although the member for Chisholm is interested, unfortunately the opposition health spokesperson has not asked a question about all of our health investments for nearly two years.

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will go to the question.

Mr Dutton interjecting—

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Dickson will cease interjecting. The minister will return to the question.

Ms ROXON: Two years is so long ago that the member for Dickson was actually looking for a condominium down in Surfers Paradise that long ago but now—

The SPEAKER: The minister will return to the question.

Ms ROXON: So our health reforms, which have been asked about multiple times from our side of the House, are already delivering hundreds of beds across the country, hundreds of extra doctors across the country and new mental health investments across the country, and there has not been a single question from the opposition health spokesperson to me about billions and billions of dollars of investments. Why is that?

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call and she will be heard in silence.

Ms ROXON: Our investments, billions of dollars of investments, in health reform are delivering to patients across the country just as we speak. There are now 900 GPs in training this year, when the Leader of the Opposition put a cap in place such that only 600 GPs could train each year. There are more than 1,300 new beds being opened up across the country, including 300 in New South Wales that have already been delivered, 400 that are starting to be opened in Victoria, 150 extra mental health beds and equivalents that are opening up in South Australia and mental health investments in Queensland. And I have not had a single question from the health spokesperson opposite about any one of these investments. Why is that? Why have there been no questions? Because the Leader of the Opposition, as the health minister, did not fix these problems. It has been our government, with a deal that was reached by the Prime Minister in April this year that has enabled us to deliver these reforms. Look at some other investments: the specialists that are being funded to be trained, particularly in rural and regional Australia, where I know that our crossbench members are particularly interested—518 specialists, more than half of whom are now working in rural and regional areas. That is a ninefold increase from when the Leader of the Opposition was the health minister. I have not had a single question about these investments. Why? Because these investments matter to patients, these investments matter to consumers, and the Liberal Party are more interested in their petty politics than they are interested in delivering to patients across the country.

Mr Tony Smith: Go back and sign some letters.

The SPEAKER: The member for Casey is warned!

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

Mrs Mirabella: How did the fundraising go?

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for McEwen and the member for Indi can discuss fundraising outside the chamber if they like.

Mr Laming: Go take a smoko.

The SPEAKER: I appreciate that, but the member for Bowman might get to talk to himself outside if he continues to interject.