State Hospitals Funding Fight ERUPTS: Federal Health Minister Mark Butler BLASTED by NSW Premier Chris Minns Over ‘Dire’ Shortfall
- NSW Premier Chris Minns warns of a ‘dire’ hospital funding shortfall, predicting some patients will be TURNED AWAY from emergency departments.
- Federal Health Minister Mark Butler is under fire for failing to properly fund the aged care sector, putting pressure on state hospitals.
- Aged care backlogs are contributing to the hospital system pressure, with 2500 elderly Australians medically fit to leave but unable to access aged care packages.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has been blasted by NSW Premier Chris Minns over a ‘dire’ hospital funding shortfall, sparking a heated debate over the future of Australia’s healthcare system.
Appearing on Sunrise’s Hot Topics, Butler was grilled by host Nat Barr over the funding fight, with Minns warning that some patients will be turned away from emergency departments if a deal isn’t struck.
“State premiers are demanding the federal government cough up an extra $47 billion in funding for their hospitals,” Barr said. “New South Wales Premier Chris Minns even warned some people would be turned away from emergency departments if a hospital funding deal isn’t struck. Mark, that is strong language. This is your portfolio. Where do you stand?”
Butler fired back, “We’ve put a very generous offer on the table, Nat. $215 billion of funding from the Commonwealth, which is $20 billion more than they’d usually get from us because we know hospitals are under pressure.”
However, Barr countered that the states want an “extra $50 billion”, prompting Butler to respond, “They want more money, well they always want more money, from the Commonwealth.”
Liberal Senator Jane Hume weighed in on the debate, saying, “It sounds to me like the states want the deal that was promised. Apparently, Mark promised 42.5 per cent hospital funding back two or three years ago. That hasn’t come to fruition.”
Hume added, “I think you should be rightly concerned Premiers like Chris Minns are saying people will be turned away from emergency departments, particularly because there are so many elderly Australians right now taking up those hospital beds, around 2500.”
Butler remains hopeful that a new funding agreement will be finalised by the end of 2025, but the back-and-forth between the federal government and state premiers is becoming increasingly acrimonious.