Senator WILLIAMS (2:41 PM) —My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Ludwig. In relation to the rural health facilities, I draw your attention to the failed New South Wales Labor government’s decision to close the Gulgong Hospital in central-west New South Wales after last year’s federal election because your state counterparts had not kept up the maintenance of that facility. There is state support for the construction of a multipurpose health service at Gulgong. Will the Gillard government provide its share of funding to make this project a reality?

Senator LUDWIG (Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General on Queensland Floods Recovery) —I thank Senator Williams for his interest in rural health. This government has done more for rural health throughout Australia than the previous Howard government did. If you look across—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator LUDWIG —We have opened more than 1,300 new beds and built new operating theatres; we are upgrading emergency departments and training 6,000 more doctors. We are providing this funding because our hospitals need it, but extra funding must come with reform. When you look at elective surgery lists, the Gillard government recognises that all Australians deserve a fair share, including those in New South Wales, including those in regional areas. That is why we are making unprecedented investments in our regional health facilities.

We are also pleased by the strong interest shown by those opposite, particularly from regional areas, in the need for funding and assistance and in the Health and Hospitals Fund Regional Priority Round. The government received, in that round, 237 compliant applications for funding for a combined total of approximately $5.3 billion. But, in relation to the specific issue of that particular hospital, I will have to take that on notice and seek further information from the Minister for Health and Ageing. I do not have a specific brief that I can turn to in relation to that.

But I do know that, when you look at the areas around Port Macquarie, we have announced funding of $96 million for the Port Macquarie Base Hospital. So this government is working very strongly with regional communities to ensure that we do provide assistance for individuals, for families, for regional areas, for health and hospital assistance— (Time expired)

Senator WILLIAMS —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, given that you will take on notice that question about the Gillard government’s funding for the Gulgong MPS, when will the Gillard government provide its share of funding for the Gulgong MPS and stop treating the 5,000 residents of Gulgong district as second-class citizens?

Senator LUDWIG (Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General on Queensland Floods Recovery) —What this government has done in this area of health and hospital funds you will see if you look at regional Australia, where you will see that we are not about treating regional health funding like the Howard government did. They ripped $1 billion out of the health system. Start with rural health infrastructure as one example. The Gillard government acted to deliver better health infrastructure to provide high-quality health services in rural and remote communities. That is where the focus of this government has been. We have developed and delivered rural infrastructure programs to inject capital funding where it is needed most. The current regional round of the Health and Hospitals Fund dedicated up to $1.8 billion to regional Australia. This builds on the 37 per cent of the first, $3.2 billion, round that was allocated to regional projects. This government has been working hard to provide— (Time expired)

Senator WILLIAMS —Mr President, I have a further supplementary question to the minister. The government has promised 64 so-called GP superclinics since 2007 at a cost of over $650 million, only 10 of which are operational. Many superclinics are not in areas of need but in Labor marginal seats. Why won’t the government put patients’ needs above political needs and provide funding for the Gulgong MPS as urgently as it is needed by that local community?

Senator LUDWIG (Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General on Queensland Floods Recovery) —You can see that those opposite really do not like helping regional communities. They do not like ensuring that we provide medical facilities in regional and remote areas. GP superclinics are but one way we can do that. For each and every GP superclinic, the location was carefully considered according to the health needs of local communities, and they were all satisfied. This approach ensured that places like Modbury had a GP superclinic, for which the first stage of construction was completed in late November. The South Australian government, which operates the clinic, is in the process of sourcing a GP service provider. Twenty-nine of the 36 original GP superclinics are either open and delivering early services or under construction. Tendering, planning or approval activities are underway at the remaining eight sites. This is a government that is getting on with the job of delivering better services to regional Australia. (Time expired)