Released 09/02/2018
At today’s COAG meeting the ACT and other states and territories stood up for our country’s future healthcare needs, making it clear that we will fight for a better deal for our hospitals and health services.
Federal issues like aged care, private healthcare and GP services will have a significant impact on the Territory’s ongoing healthcare system, and there is a significant role for them to ensure Canberrans can continue to access quality health services.
The Commonwealth’s offer on healthcare was not a good enough deal for Canberrans. We negotiated hard and will continue to do so, but the fact remains the Commonwealth still owes Canberrans $40m in health funding from previous years. Plus any future funding agreement should help fund health infrastructure in Canberra which is used to benefit patients in New South Wales.
Despite being unable to reach an agreement today, Minister for Health and Wellbeing Meegan Fitzharris and I will continue our negotiations with the Commonwealth to reach a better agreement on long term funding for Canberra’s healthcare system and to progress a national health reform agenda that meets the challenges of preventive health, aged care and chronic disease, while protecting and properly-funding Medicare.
The ACT Government agreed to the one year extension to the National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education, that provides every four year old with 15 hours per week of pre-school education in the year before Kindergarten.
However, the lack of a long-term funding agreement continues the level of uncertainty for the sector. The Lifting the Game Report delivered last week was clear in the importance of quality ECEC in the success of a child’s education and development, and the Government through Minister for Education and Early Childhood Education Yvette Berry will continue to advocate for a long term funding agreement.
The ACT Government also welcomes the Prime Minister’s decision to apologise to child sexual abuse survivors and the collaborative opportunities to progress the recommendations of the Royal Commission. The ACT has already implemented a number of the reforms recommended by the Commission, including the introduction of a Reportable Conduct Scheme.
It was humbling to attend the Special Gathering and hear from our nation’s Indigenous leaders. COAG agreed to finalise new Closing the Gap targets. I was able to share the ACT’s experience of working with the our own Elected Body to hear from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Canberrans. I was proud to represent the only jurisdiction in Australia to demonstrate its commitment to reconciliation by marking Reconciliation Day with a public holiday.
- Statement ends -
Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases
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