Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry has called on the Member for Rockhampton to stop spreading mistruths on hospital funding.
This is following the Member for Rockhampton claiming the Federal Government has ‘cut funding’ for hospitals.
Ms Landry said that funding for the health system has increased every year under the Federal Government and is at a record high.
“The Federal Government provides strong support to our public hospitals and health system through a significant funding contribution to assist states and territories with the costs of delivering public hospital services through the National Health Reform Agreement (NHRA),” Ms Landry said.
“Our funding contribution for public hospitals services in all states and territories under the NHRA has grown substantially from $13.3 billion in 2012-13 to $25.2 billion in 2020-21, or by 92 per cent.
“Over this same time period, state and territory funding for their own hospitals has only grown by 44 per cent.
“There is nothing stopping the states and territories matching the Australian Government investment in public hospitals and if they did, hospitals would be adequately funded.
“Under the 2020-25 NHRA, our funding contribution for public hospitals services in all states and territories is estimated to increase from $103.0 billion between 2015-16 and 2019-20 to $135.4 billion between 2020-21 and 2024-25.”
Ms Landry said the Rockhampton MP’s claims are a poor attempt to deceive people over the Labor State Government’s health failures.
“At Rockhampton Base Hospital over forty percent of all ambulance arrivals are still being ramped and not seen within 30 minutes,” Ms Landry said.
“Over forty percent of emergency department patients are still not seen in time, the surgical waiting list now sits at 1,797, while the waiting list for the waiting list is 9,238. A third of which are not treated on time.
“I suggest the Member for Rockhampton draws his focus to fixing Queensland’s health crisis before throwing stones.”
