❓ WA Health Minister addresses hospital funding concerns, highlighting negotiations with the Commonwealth and Premier's efforts to increase funding for emergency departments. The Minister will not attend the upcoming meeting due to prior commitments, but national registration will be a key discussion point.
AnsweredQoN 114Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOSPITALS — COMMONWEALTH-STATE FUNDING AGREEMENT
Following the five-year funding agreement for hospitals between the commonwealth and the states, I ask — (1) What issues will the minister be pursuing at this Friday’s meeting of health ministers in Brisbane, arguably the most important health ministers meeting in years? (2) Will the minister be asking the commonwealth to promise to provide capital funding for Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland hospital or the new children’s hospital? (3) Will the minister be finalising the details and conditions for extra funding for emergency departments and elective surgery? Dr K.D. HAMES
Following the five-year funding agreement for hospitals between the commonwealth and the states, I ask — (1) What issues will the minister be pursuing at this Friday’s meeting of health ministers in Brisbane, arguably the most important health ministers meeting in years? (2) Will the minister be asking the commonwealth to promise to provide capital funding for Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland hospital or the new children’s hospital? (3) Will the minister be finalising the details and conditions for extra funding for emergency departments and elective surgery? Dr K.D. HAMES
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
(1) What issues will the minister be pursuing at this Friday’s meeting of health ministers in Brisbane, arguably the most important health ministers meeting in years? (2) Will the minister be asking the commonwealth to promise to provide capital funding for Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland hospital or the new children’s hospital? (3) Will the minister be finalising the details and conditions for extra funding for emergency departments and elective surgery? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
(2) Will the minister be asking the commonwealth to promise to provide capital funding for Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland hospital or the new children’s hospital? (3) Will the minister be finalising the details and conditions for extra funding for emergency departments and elective surgery? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
(3) Will the minister be finalising the details and conditions for extra funding for emergency departments and elective surgery? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
(1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave.
I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave.
Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
(1) What issues will the minister be pursuing at this Friday’s meeting of health ministers in Brisbane, arguably the most important health ministers meeting in years? (2) Will the minister be asking the commonwealth to promise to provide capital funding for Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland hospital or the new children’s hospital? (3) Will the minister be finalising the details and conditions for extra funding for emergency departments and elective surgery? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
(2) Will the minister be asking the commonwealth to promise to provide capital funding for Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland hospital or the new children’s hospital? (3) Will the minister be finalising the details and conditions for extra funding for emergency departments and elective surgery? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
(3) Will the minister be finalising the details and conditions for extra funding for emergency departments and elective surgery? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
(1)-(3) I am pleased to say that a large number of those problems have been resolved already, either in discussions through the Council of Australian Governments, through the Premier, or after a long conversation that I had last Friday with the federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, discussing those particular issues. I am very pleased with the action of the Premier, in particular, and his staff, who took the issue of funding of the states to the commonwealth government. It is true that all states, WA included, tried to get the commonwealth to come far more towards the 50-50 funding component, which most of us believe is reasonable. I know that when the opposition was in government it was very critical of the Howard government because Labor fell well short of that 50 per cent mark during the eight years it was in government. We were very hopeful, given the statements that had been made previously by the new Prime Minister, that there would be a significant movement in that percentage of funding by the federal government to match state government funding. Sadly, that was not the case. There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave. Mr R.H. Cook : Another overseas trip! Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
There has been some movement; the commonwealth has funded an increase of close to 7.3 per cent on an annual basis, which is welcome. We will go nowhere near getting back to that 50-50 funding arrangement. I am very pleased to say that the Premier was able to increase the funding for the states’ emergency departments to $750 million; this state’s share is expected to be in the order of $75 million. I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave.
I advise the member that I will not be at that ministerial conference as I have said previously. I will be on personal leave.
Dr K.D. HAMES : What the member does with his personal leave is his business; what I do with mine is my business. Sadly, the ministerial conference was scheduled for 28 or 29 December, and, as a result of the change in the COAG meeting, that date was moved to one on which I had already organised private arrangements. The Minister for Mental Health and the Director General of Health are going in my place. I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
I have seen some of the briefs already, but the major issue that is scheduled for discussion at that meeting is the issue of national registration. I would be very interested to hear what the shadow minister’s views are on whether or not we should be part of that national program. Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
Mr J.A. McGinty : The minister should put his view. Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I have put my view already, in fact. I put my view in discussions with Nicola Roxon and a representative from Tasmania, who came last week to discuss that issue with me. They are very much aware of my view. I tried to get the date changed so that I could be there, but that was not to be the case. Registration is going to be a key issue. As members know, there has been lots of lobbying by different professional groups about what we should do. I would be interested to get the shadow minister’s view.
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