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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-05-10 Daily Xml
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Federal Budget

Ms COOK (Fisher) (14:20): My question is for the Minister for Health. Can the minister inform the house about the impact of last night's federal budget on health in South Australia?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:21): I thank the member for Fisher for her question. She has such an enormous passion for the public health system.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Where is this protein therapy unit?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I will get to that. Firstly, can I welcome the federal government's decision to fund Australia's first proton therapy unit in South Australia. This shows that the state government's investment in the largest health and biomedical precinct, on North Terrace, is getting results. It will ensure lifesaving treatment for South Australians and others who currently have to travel to the US for this highly specialised treatment. I understand that this morning the Leader of the Opposition informed the house that apparently South Australia is also getting a protein therapy unit. I am not quite sure what a protein therapy unit does—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I think it has something to do with some sort of cosmetic procedure—I don't know. Anyway, it's news to me.

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: We do welcome the proton therapy unit and the grant to enable that to happen. It will be an Australian first. We can be very, very proud of what is happening in the biomedical precinct on North Terrace. However, last night's federal budget was not all good news for South Australian patients and their families. Again, South Australia's hospitals have missed out in the federal health budget. My early advice is that not only will we not see any increase—

Ms Sanderson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Adelaide to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —in federal health funding for our hospitals under the national health funding reform agreement but also it appears there will be a reduction in funding to the order of $80 million over the forward estimates. That's on top of the previous federal cuts to health, starting with savage cuts in that infamous 2014-15 budget. This means that, despite more people going to our public hospitals than ever before, South Australia will miss out on crucial funding to improve our elective surgery and emergency department waiting times and provide South Australians with the sort of care they deserve. This is a budget that's designed to rescue this federal government from its terrible budget decisions of previous years. The only new thing in the budget for South Australians—

Ms Sanderson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide is warned.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —is an increase in the Medicare levy. Clearly, the federal government has had to find new money somewhere to make up for the $639 million in dumped unsuccessful savings measures in previous health budgets.

Ms Sanderson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I warn the member for Adelaide for the second and final time.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The Turnbull government's trumpeted reversal of their Medicare freeze is a massive insult to all South Australians, with next to nothing unfrozen in 2017 and some items remaining frozen for more than two years. We know that whenever the federal government makes it harder for South Australians to see their GP, they inevitably end up in our public hospital emergency departments. Both public hospitals and South Australian patients will continue to pay more as a result of this budget.

In addition, the announcement of a Medicare guarantee fund is just a budget trick. It does nothing to lock in funding for Medicare. The federal government clearly thinks that South Australia is an easy target for savings. Last night's budget may have even more in the detail, more devil in the detail, much of which we are still waiting for more information on. For years, those opposite have had a chance to oppose the Abbott and Turnbull government's brutal cuts to health—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —and to stand up for South Australians, but they just continue to be a mouthpiece for the Turnbull government.

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

Mr GARDNER: Debate.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I think it is. I uphold the point of order. Is the minister finished?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I have, sir.

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