❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding health funding agreements with the Commonwealth, with the Minister responding by attacking the questioner's motives and defending the State's position.
AnsweredQoN 1013Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the fact that the Australian Capital Territory has now signed the Australian Health Care Agreement and, as a result, has achieved additional support through the outer metropolitan general practitioner incentive scheme, funding for after-hours general practitioner services, recognition of work force shortages, millions of extra dollars for hospital capital works, and additional aged care transition beds. (1) Can the minister confirm that the Commonwealth has offered three levels of funding: $3 725 million over five years if the State Government does not sign the agreement; $3 975 million over five years if the State Government signs the agreement but does not match the growth funds; and $4 128 million over five years if the State signs the agreement and matches the growth funds? (2) Is the minister aware that the highest commonwealth offer has already been factored into the state health budget; and, as a result, if the Premier does not sign the agreement there will be a $400 million hole in the state budget? (3) Will the minister now stop playing base politics and achieve a good health system outcome for Western Australia just as the ACT has done? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
(1) Can the minister confirm that the Commonwealth has offered three levels of funding: $3 725 million over five years if the State Government does not sign the agreement; $3 975 million over five years if the State Government signs the agreement but does not match the growth funds; and $4 128 million over five years if the State signs the agreement and matches the growth funds? (2) Is the minister aware that the highest commonwealth offer has already been factored into the state health budget; and, as a result, if the Premier does not sign the agreement there will be a $400 million hole in the state budget? (3) Will the minister now stop playing base politics and achieve a good health system outcome for Western Australia just as the ACT has done? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
(2) Is the minister aware that the highest commonwealth offer has already been factored into the state health budget; and, as a result, if the Premier does not sign the agreement there will be a $400 million hole in the state budget? (3) Will the minister now stop playing base politics and achieve a good health system outcome for Western Australia just as the ACT has done? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
(3) Will the minister now stop playing base politics and achieve a good health system outcome for Western Australia just as the ACT has done? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
(1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
(1) Can the minister confirm that the Commonwealth has offered three levels of funding: $3 725 million over five years if the State Government does not sign the agreement; $3 975 million over five years if the State Government signs the agreement but does not match the growth funds; and $4 128 million over five years if the State signs the agreement and matches the growth funds? (2) Is the minister aware that the highest commonwealth offer has already been factored into the state health budget; and, as a result, if the Premier does not sign the agreement there will be a $400 million hole in the state budget? (3) Will the minister now stop playing base politics and achieve a good health system outcome for Western Australia just as the ACT has done? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
(2) Is the minister aware that the highest commonwealth offer has already been factored into the state health budget; and, as a result, if the Premier does not sign the agreement there will be a $400 million hole in the state budget? (3) Will the minister now stop playing base politics and achieve a good health system outcome for Western Australia just as the ACT has done? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
(3) Will the minister now stop playing base politics and achieve a good health system outcome for Western Australia just as the ACT has done? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
(1)-(3) I thank the Benedict Arnold of the Western Australian health system for the question. What a traitor he is! I ask members to reflect back a bit to when the State was trying to get a licence for a magnetic resonance imaging machine for children in Western Australia and to how the member for Murdoch, in order to satisfy his political masters in Canberra, was out there white-anting and undermining the State’s bid to get a licence to operate an MRI machine so that children in this State could be adequately serviced with up-to-date medical technology. The member for Murdoch undermined the position of the State and played a significant role in preventing the State from achieving a licence for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital. Today the member for Murdoch is at it again. We have an inferior, unacceptable offer that will put enormous pressure on the State. A total of $1 billion of the money that John Howard had set aside in the forward estimates in his budget earlier this year has been taken out of our public hospitals and diverted to the private sector, yet Benedict Arnold is saying we should roll over because John Howard wants us to! The member for Murdoch can dance to Kay Patterson’s tune; I will not. The member should join with us and fight for the people of Western Australia to get a fair deal on health funding.
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