❓ The Minister for Health welcomes the federal Labor Party's plan for GP super clinics, highlighting the potential to alleviate pressure on WA's public hospitals and improve chronic disease management. He criticizes the federal government's past funding cuts to WA hospitals and aged care.
AnsweredQoN 384Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GENERAL PRACTITIONER SUPER CLINICS
Will the minister please explain the implications for Western Australia of the federal Labor Party’s plan to develop general practitioner super clinics in areas of need throughout Australia? Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr J.A. McGINTY
Will the minister please explain the implications for Western Australia of the federal Labor Party’s plan to develop general practitioner super clinics in areas of need throughout Australia? Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
I welcome the fact that somebody in Canberra has got an understanding of our health care needs and is prepared to come up with policies to meet those challenges into the future. Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I welcome the fact that somebody in Canberra has got an understanding of our health care needs and is prepared to come up with policies to meet those challenges into the future. Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I welcome the fact that somebody in Canberra has got an understanding of our health care needs and is prepared to come up with policies to meet those challenges into the future. Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I welcome the fact that somebody in Canberra has got an understanding of our health care needs and is prepared to come up with policies to meet those challenges into the future. Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
I welcome the fact that somebody in Canberra has got an understanding of our health care needs and is prepared to come up with policies to meet those challenges into the future. Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I welcome the fact that somebody in Canberra has got an understanding of our health care needs and is prepared to come up with policies to meet those challenges into the future. Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I welcome the fact that somebody in Canberra has got an understanding of our health care needs and is prepared to come up with policies to meet those challenges into the future. Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I welcome the fact that somebody in Canberra has got an understanding of our health care needs and is prepared to come up with policies to meet those challenges into the future. Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
I welcome the fact that somebody in Canberra has got an understanding of our health care needs and is prepared to come up with policies to meet those challenges into the future. Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Dr S.C. Thomas interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Capel! Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : We in this house all know about the problems of aged care, about the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient beds and what that means for the whole of our public health system. We understand the chronic diseases that are in the community and the shortage of GPs, and the overcrowding that results in emergency departments, all of which is caused by the funding for health care coming from particular silos rather than through an integrated approach. How refreshing it is to have people in Canberra recognising that and proposing to inject $220 million into what has been referred to as GP super clinics. This will ensure that Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists in one centre in their local community - where they need them. I believe this offers the state an unprecedented opportunity to not only take pressure off its public hospitals, but also look at the possibility of co-locating government health services, such as day surgery, in these facilities to provide care closer to home where people would want it. There will certainly be the capacity to better manage chronic diseases in the community than currently occurs. Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Members who have been in this place for a little while will remember the last federal government contribution to our public hospitals in Western Australia. I notice some members opposite scratching their heads trying to remember when that was. Let me remind members. Four years ago at the time of the last Australian health care agreement - this was the last change that the federal government made to our public hospitals - the federal government took $1 billion of funding out of our public hospitals. That led to a lot of the pressures that exist today. The other issue that I should point out - members might be very interested in this statistic - is that when John Howard came into government in Canberra, we shared on a 50-50 basis the funding of government hospitals in Western Australia; that is, 50 per cent of the funding came from the commonwealth and 50 per cent from the state. Today the commonwealth government contributes a mere 30 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals, and the state has stepped in to provide 70 per cent of the cost of running our hospitals. In the one decade that John Howard has been in government, he has slashed funding to our public hospitals from 50 per cent to 30 per cent. However, it gets worse. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Leschenault to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth has not only slashed its funding and its share of the costs of running our hospitals, with the state stepping in to pick it up. All of us, including the member for Dawesville, know of the problem of people who should be in aged care but who are inappropriately accommodated in acute beds in our public hospital system. There are hundreds of people who would be far better accommodated. Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Dr J.M. Woollard interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Alfred Cove to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The commonwealth government itself identified the shortage as 2 700 extra aged care beds that are needed in Western Australia. That is the number that the commonwealth government has authorised and approved, but it is not putting its hand in its pocket to fund them. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Dawesville and the member for Nedlands to order. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Ms S.E. Walker interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : This causes enormous repercussions in our public hospitals. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the second time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : We need to make acute beds available to people who are the commonwealth’s responsibility, and who would be more appropriately housed in aged care facilities. We have not sat back and simply bemoaned the fact that the federal government has not picked up its responsibility; we have allocated $20 million this year to transfer patients who are the responsibility of the commonwealth out of acute beds in our public hospitals and into aged care accommodation that the state government is paying for, even though it is a commonwealth government responsibility. I asked my good friend Tony Abbott whether he would put his hand in his pocket and help us out, but he said no. Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Dr K.D. Hames : Why should he? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : Because they are his responsibility. Aged care is his responsibility. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Nedlands to order for the third time. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is like a breath of fresh air to have the alternative government in Canberra proposing real solutions that will help patients in Western Australia.
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