Another attempt at vote buying, although this always was a stupid Abbott budget policy

Whats next Education?

Does this remove a potential DD trigger?

Malcolm Turnbull to compromise with states over health funding

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed he’ll present a health funding deal to state and territory leaders when they meet this week, amid reports he’s preparing to ditch Tony Abbott’s hospital funding cuts.

“I can’t confirm the figures that have been in the press, but we will be presenting to the premier’s and the chief ministers a proposal … which will see us maintaining the commitment to activity-based funding and a national efficient price which will ensure that everything we are doing at the Federal level is calculated to ensure that Australians get the best care in hospitals and that hospitals are delivering that care to Australian patients as efficiently and effectively as we can,” he said.

Mr Turnbull would not say how much the package would be worth, but said he expected to have an “outcome” at COAG.

Treasurer Scott Morrison said he has been working with Mr Turnbull on the health funding deal for “many months”.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with state premiers during December’s COAG meeting. Picture: AAP Image/David Moir.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with state premiers during December’s COAG meeting. Picture: AAP Image/David Moir.Source:AAP

“We will have that discussion on Friday,” he told 2GB.

“We will have it directly with the treasurers and the premiers.”

Asked about why he wasn’t told in advance the Budget would be moved forward, Mr Morrison said he was informed during a Cabinet meeting at 10am.

“That’s when the Prime Minister advised the Cabinet that he had been to see the Governor General and that’s when I was advised of him doing that,” he said.

Mr Morrison said Mr Turnbull had advised him of the change “well within” the timeframe Treasury needed to be in a position to bring the Budget forward.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash also refused to weigh in on reports this morning Mr Turnbull was preparing to wind back $5 billion in health spending cuts in the four years to 2020 introduced by the Abbott Government.

But she said health spending would be discussed when leaders met for Council of Australian Government (COAG) talks later this week.

“Certainly we have COAG on Thursday and Friday or should I say the Prime Minister does and he will be discussing with his state counterparts future economic reform and the direction we want to go in and that is on the agenda,” she told Sunrise.

Vocational Education Minister Scott Ryan confirmed the Prime Minister met with Treasurer Scott Morrison over the weekend.

The Australian reports the pair held two hour long talks at the Prime Minister’s Point Piper home yesterday where they worked on a health funding compromise to present to the states and territories.



“The Prime Minister and the Treasurer I understand did meet over the weekend and that is a normal preparation for the big meeting later this week with all the state premiers,” he told Channel Nine.

It comes after reports of a rift between Mr Turnbull and Mr Morrison following revelations the Prime Minister did not inform the Treasurer he had moved the Federal Budget from May 10 to May 3.

Senator Ryan said the Turnbull Government was keen to ensure health funding was being well spent.

“As I understand it discussions are ongoing,” he told the ABC.

“They started with officials a couple of weeks ago and they will culminate with the elected leaders, the PM and the premiers, later this week.

“There are lots of discussions going on and lots of numbers floating around.”


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macman wrote on Mar 29^th, 2016 at 5:34pm: