❓ The Premier addresses increased demand on WA's health system with a $1.9 billion funding boost and condemns Clive Palmer's threat to the COVID-19 vaccination program.
AnsweredQoN 364Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES
364. Ms C.M. TONKIN to the Premier:
I
refer to the announcement that the McGowan Labor government will invest an
additional $1.9 billion in health and mental health services across Western
Australia. Can the Premier outline to the house how this significant boost in
funding will address the unprecedented demand in WA's health system and
support the delivery of high-quality care to Western Australians; and can the
Premier advise the house whether he is aware of any threats to the health of Western
Australians?
SERVICES
364. Ms C.M. TONKIN to the Premier:
I
refer to the announcement that the McGowan Labor government will invest an
additional $1.9 billion in health and mental health services across Western
Australia. Can the Premier outline to the house how this significant boost in
funding will address the unprecedented demand in WA's health system and
support the delivery of high-quality care to Western Australians; and can the
Premier advise the house whether he is aware of any threats to the health of Western
Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for Churchlands for the question. I acknowledge former Deputy
Premier Hon Eric Ripper, who is in the President's gallery
today.
The SPEAKER : Even the Speaker's
gallery! Yes, welcome!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Yes, in the
Speaker's gallery! Welcome, Eric.
Western
Australia has the best-funded health system in Australia. We are spending per
capita 18 per cent more than the national average on the health system
in our state. But we are under heavy demand, as the Minister for Health outlined, with enormous increases in emergency
department presentations, particularly people with complex mental health
problems and a range of conditions, and that is placing pressure on our
emergency departments.
On
the weekend, the health minister and I announced significant funding in the
coming state budget. It is a $1.9 billion boost in health and mental
health funding across Western Australia. That will mean more staff, more beds and
more services. It is on top of our existing funding for our health system. On
top of that, Madam Speaker, we will be putting in place $1.8 billion for the
new women's and babies' hospital at the Queen Elizabeth II
Medical Centre site in Nedlands and, on top of that, $1.3 billion over the next
four years on important capital works improvements in both the city and the
regions—all over the state. This will mean an additional 332 new beds
across the health system, an additional 100 doctors
and around 500 extra nurses. That is all on top of the already announced e xpansion in the number of beds, plus $495 million in
mental health spending across Western Australia, including $129 million of
that towards youth mental health.
The reason we can do that is that we
have had strong financial management over the course of the last four and a half years, which has put the state in a strong
financial position, certainly compared with the last government and any
other government in Australia. That has allowed us to invest in important
health initiatives all over the state.
The member asked me about threats.
Yesterday or the day before, we received a letter from Mr Clive Palmer from
Queensland. His letter demanded —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The Premier has the
floor.
Mr M. McGOWAN : He is the
Liberal and National Parties' friend. He does fund their election
campaigns, Madam Speaker. Mr Palmer's
letter from a lawyer basically threatened the Western Australian government
with legal action if we do not suspend the vaccination program for
COVID-19. It was shocking, appalling, disturbing and disgusting that Mr Palmer would do that. It shows an appalling degree of
ignorance on his behalf, and it is an appalling misuse of his wealth
that he is prepared to do that and threaten the health, wellbeing and lives of
people, particularly older people, in this state. If he is successful in his
action—he is threatening some sort of injunction against the state—it
will damage the health of not just Western Australians, but all Australians,
and people could potentially die. We will not give in to this bullying and
bizarre behaviour by Mr Clive Palmer, once again, towards the people of this
state. He has a record of doing that on multiple occasions. This is another
example of that, but, I must say, this is a particularly disturbing example. It
does not just threaten the finances of the state; it threatens the lives and
health of people in this state.
thank the member for Churchlands for the question. I acknowledge former Deputy
Premier Hon Eric Ripper, who is in the President's gallery
today.
The SPEAKER : Even the Speaker's
gallery! Yes, welcome!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Yes, in the
Speaker's gallery! Welcome, Eric.
Western
Australia has the best-funded health system in Australia. We are spending per
capita 18 per cent more than the national average on the health system
in our state. But we are under heavy demand, as the Minister for Health outlined, with enormous increases in emergency
department presentations, particularly people with complex mental health
problems and a range of conditions, and that is placing pressure on our
emergency departments.
On
the weekend, the health minister and I announced significant funding in the
coming state budget. It is a $1.9 billion boost in health and mental
health funding across Western Australia. That will mean more staff, more beds and
more services. It is on top of our existing funding for our health system. On
top of that, Madam Speaker, we will be putting in place $1.8 billion for the
new women's and babies' hospital at the Queen Elizabeth II
Medical Centre site in Nedlands and, on top of that, $1.3 billion over the next
four years on important capital works improvements in both the city and the
regions—all over the state. This will mean an additional 332 new beds
across the health system, an additional 100 doctors
and around 500 extra nurses. That is all on top of the already announced e xpansion in the number of beds, plus $495 million in
mental health spending across Western Australia, including $129 million of
that towards youth mental health.
The reason we can do that is that we
have had strong financial management over the course of the last four and a half years, which has put the state in a strong
financial position, certainly compared with the last government and any
other government in Australia. That has allowed us to invest in important
health initiatives all over the state.
The member asked me about threats.
Yesterday or the day before, we received a letter from Mr Clive Palmer from
Queensland. His letter demanded —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The Premier has the
floor.
Mr M. McGOWAN : He is the
Liberal and National Parties' friend. He does fund their election
campaigns, Madam Speaker. Mr Palmer's
letter from a lawyer basically threatened the Western Australian government
with legal action if we do not suspend the vaccination program for
COVID-19. It was shocking, appalling, disturbing and disgusting that Mr Palmer would do that. It shows an appalling degree of
ignorance on his behalf, and it is an appalling misuse of his wealth
that he is prepared to do that and threaten the health, wellbeing and lives of
people, particularly older people, in this state. If he is successful in his
action—he is threatening some sort of injunction against the state—it
will damage the health of not just Western Australians, but all Australians,
and people could potentially die. We will not give in to this bullying and
bizarre behaviour by Mr Clive Palmer, once again, towards the people of this
state. He has a record of doing that on multiple occasions. This is another
example of that, but, I must say, this is a particularly disturbing example. It
does not just threaten the finances of the state; it threatens the lives and
health of people in this state.
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