FED:Gillard hails hospital reform deal

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2011
FED:Gillard hails hospital reform deal

Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD says the new national health reform deal will end the
blame game between the Commonwealth and the states.

That was the aim of her predecessor KEVIN RUDD, who wanted the states to give up a
third of their GST revenue in return for the Commonwealth becoming the dominant funder
of public hospitals.

Ms GILLARD says that was never going to be agreed to, so she's taken a different approach.

The Commonwealth will fund up to 50 per cent of rising public hospital costs from 2014
under a deal that's worth an extra 16.4 billion to the states in the first six years -
and an extra 175 billion by 2030.

Ms GILLARD says it means more money, more beds and more services, as well as greater
accountability and transparency, more local control, less waste and less waiting times.

AAP RTV mb/rl/jmt

KEYWORD: HOSPITALS (CANBERRA)

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