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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-05-13 Daily Xml
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Federal Budget

Ms COOK (Fisher) (14:22): My question is to the Minister for Health. Can the minister inform the house about the impact of last night's federal budget on the health of South Australians?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:22): I thank the member for Fisher for her question. I don't think there are many people in this place who are better placed to understand the enormous effect that federal budget cuts will have on our public hospitals.

Last night's federal budget confirmed the commonwealth will proceed with the drastic cuts to health that it brought down last year. Last night also confirmed that South Australia will face an additional loss to the health budget of $293.3 million in 2018-19, when compared to previous arrangements under the National Health Reform Agreement. That's on top of the $655 million lost in the previous budget. These dollars aren't just numbers in a column. Once again, that loss of $293.3 million in 2018-19 is the equivalent of the closing of more than 600 hospital beds—that's about the same size as closing our second-largest hospital, the Flinders Medical Centre.

After the savage cuts were announced by the federal government last year, I promised to engage with doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health professionals, people who have helped create our world-class health system to help respond. I am pleased we were able to drive the Transforming Health process, which is about ensuring that we have a quality health service, despite the federal government's drastic measures. Nevertheless, the commonwealth clearly thinks that health is an easy target for savings. Last night's budget may have even more devil in the detail—much of which we are still awaiting further information.

The commonwealth announced savings of $113.1 million over five years associated with reductions in functions of the commonwealth Department of Health; $144.6 million over four years for changes to the Medicare benefit schedule for child assessments; and $962.8 million in savings associated with rationalisation and streamlining of funding across a range of commonwealth health programs.

The health department, Health SA, is seeking further advice on the details of these savings measures so we can understand what might be the impact on South Australia. I am concerned that the budget does not contain clear information about the continuation of the project agreement on the National Perinatal Depression Initiative. I am advised the commonwealth is yet to offer South Australia a new agreement, despite the current agreement expiring on 30 June this year. My department is seeking more information on that as well. For 12 months, those opposite have had an opportunity to speak up, as indeed their interstate Liberal colleagues have had the courage to do. It is unfortunate that we haven't seen that.

Ms Digance interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call to order the member for Elder. This is not an American revivalist meeting and ministers do not need reinforcement for their utterances.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I warn the leader for the first time, but not for that contribution, and I warn the member for Hartley for the second and the final time. Leader.

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