Dr. Honey questions the Minister for Health regarding health asset investment, comparing spending between the current and former governments. The Minister defends the current government's record, highlighting increased FTE and overall budget increases.

AnsweredQoN 754Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 November 2022
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

HEALTH
— INVESTMENT
754. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the incessant crisis in
the health system and the minister's ongoing rhetoric about the
Department of Health embarking on the biggest asset investment program in
history.
(1) Given the former
coalition government spent $4.3 billion in its first five years on health asset
investment compared with this government's $1.6 billion, how can the
minister justify these claims?
(2) Is the latest cash injection not just playing
catch-up from the miserly investment of $251 million in 2020– 21
and $379 million in 2021–22?

AnswerView source ↗

I have to admit that I am struggling
to understand the question —
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
You have asked the question.
Ms A. SANDERSON : I know who I
would not trust with numbers, and that is the National and Liberal Parties. I would
not trust them to count, that is for sure. The investment that the member
outlined in the first five years of the Liberal–National government
included Fiona Stanley Hospital, which the former Labor government paid for
up-front. The Labor government put that money up-front, not the National–Liberal
government. It is embarrassing that the member would get on his feet and talk
about health spending under the former government when FTE under the former
government went backwards by nearly 1 000. The number of health workers went
backwards by nearly 1 000 people. We have increased FTE by up to 12 per cent
across the board. Our record on investing in the health system is very, very clear. We have a $3.2 billion asset
investment program and the health budget has increased by 30 per cent
since we came to government in 2017. That is boots on the ground, bodies in
hospitals and people actually working in our healthcare sector. I would not
trust the opposition's numbers, and the community certainly does not
trust them.

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