Mr RIOLI - 1998-04-29
Yesterday's budget slashed $12m in real per capita expenditure from the Territory Health Services budget. Examples include a massive cut in the dental program that is relied on by hundreds of Territorians for basic dental needs. Is it not a fact that, after all the wringing of hands and lecturing about public health, the minister has failed to deliver the dollars that Territory Health Services needs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I do not know where the honourable member gets his figures from.
Ms Martin: The budget papers.
Mr BURKE: I shall tell members opposite
Page 221
what the budget papers say. The budget papers demonstrate that, by comparing in real terms the amount that health was allocated in the last budget with the amount allocated in this budget, there has been a 5% increase. The money that was allocated in the last budget was not set in concrete. Expenditure issues have arisen in the health area through the year and they have been addressed by the government as they have arisen. If we look at the final health budget outcome for the year, compared to what has been allocated this year, there has been an increase of 2%. Those are the facts.
A 5% increase in the health budget in real terms over the course of the year is an excellent outcome. It is considered that the government is required to argue with the Commonwealth for growth funding to a top level of around 5%. The difficulties that we have in delivering health services in the Northern Territory are recognised by the Grants Commission by a factor of about 2.8 compared with other jurisdictions. I consider a 5% outcome to be very generous. I thank my government for that recognition and the increase for Northern Territory Health Services.
Those additional dental programs were financed by federal government special-purpose payments and matching funding ...
Ms Martin: Howard has already slashed $1m from the dental ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fannie Bay.
Mr BURKE: ... the Northern Territory government. At the whim of the Commonwealth, those programs have been slashed. Clearly, there has been some reduction in dental services as a result of those Commonwealth programs being reduced. However, I am satisfied that dental services are being delivered throughout the Northern Territory. If anyone doubts that, they can simply refer to the health outcomes in our dental programs throughout the Northern Territory, particularly in our schools. We are reaching a point where we have ...
Ms Martin: We are talking about elderly Territorians.
Mr BURKE: ... the healthiest school children in Australia in terms of dental hygiene.
Ms Martin: Rubbish!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fannie Bay, do you have your standing orders with you? Please read standing order 239.
Page 222
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I do not know where the honourable member gets his figures from.
Ms Martin: The budget papers.
Mr BURKE: I shall tell members opposite
Page 221
what the budget papers say. The budget papers demonstrate that, by comparing in real terms the amount that health was allocated in the last budget with the amount allocated in this budget, there has been a 5% increase. The money that was allocated in the last budget was not set in concrete. Expenditure issues have arisen in the health area through the year and they have been addressed by the government as they have arisen. If we look at the final health budget outcome for the year, compared to what has been allocated this year, there has been an increase of 2%. Those are the facts.
A 5% increase in the health budget in real terms over the course of the year is an excellent outcome. It is considered that the government is required to argue with the Commonwealth for growth funding to a top level of around 5%. The difficulties that we have in delivering health services in the Northern Territory are recognised by the Grants Commission by a factor of about 2.8 compared with other jurisdictions. I consider a 5% outcome to be very generous. I thank my government for that recognition and the increase for Northern Territory Health Services.
Those additional dental programs were financed by federal government special-purpose payments and matching funding ...
Ms Martin: Howard has already slashed $1m from the dental ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fannie Bay.
Mr BURKE: ... the Northern Territory government. At the whim of the Commonwealth, those programs have been slashed. Clearly, there has been some reduction in dental services as a result of those Commonwealth programs being reduced. However, I am satisfied that dental services are being delivered throughout the Northern Territory. If anyone doubts that, they can simply refer to the health outcomes in our dental programs throughout the Northern Territory, particularly in our schools. We are reaching a point where we have ...
Ms Martin: We are talking about elderly Territorians.
Mr BURKE: ... the healthiest school children in Australia in terms of dental hygiene.
Ms Martin: Rubbish!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fannie Bay, do you have your standing orders with you? Please read standing order 239.
Page 222
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016