Mr GUNNER - 2011-05-03
Can you please update the House on the record Health budget for 2011-12 and what this means for Territory families?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am very proud to be the first minister in the Territory’s history to have a Health budget of more than $1bn. That was last year. This year it is even bigger - $1.12bn. We are delivering more for Territorians, whether they live in the city or in remote areas.
We have delivered more frontline workers for the health system than ever before. Since 2002, we have employed 677 nurses and 208 doctors. To give an example, from 1996 to 1999 the Country Liberal Party dismissed 200 nurses.
This government provides a record budget for our hospitals: $315m for RDH, up 181% since 2001; $143m for Alice Springs Hospital, up 165%; $31m for Katherine; $23m for Gove District Hospital; and $13.3m for Tennant Creek Hospital. We are providing $14.6m under the National Partnership Agreement on Hospital and Health Workforce Reform program to further reduce waiting times in emergency departments and for elective surgery. The money we spend is money well spent.
The member for Greatorex always talks about outcomes, and I would like to give him some outcomes. Because of the money we are investing in health, we have seen a three-year improvement in life expectancy of Aboriginal women. We have seen a drop in the Indigenous infant mortality rate by 35%, and a life expectancy for people on renal dialysis now equal to the national rate, an improvement to their life of seven years. That not only applies to Indigenous women, but also to women living in urban centres. For non-Indigenous women, the mortality rate from cervical cancer has fallen by 64%, and by 92% for Indigenous women.
We have delivered $172m for primary health care. For alcohol treatment options, we now deliver $5.2m. The most important investment is in mental health services with an extra $7.8m over three years for suicide prevention strategies and enhanced child and adolescent services. Territorians deserve a very good health service. They deserve to receive the same service they would receive if they lived in Perth, Adelaide, or Sydney. We ensure we invest in our health service to provide this health service ...
Mr Conlan interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: I know the opposition talks about deficit. I remind them, in 2001 in their budget books, they did not have any deficit. They presented to this parliament balanced books. When we investigated after we came to government, we found a deficit of $127m ...
Mr Elferink: You manufactured that when you got to government. You fibber!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin!
Mr VATSKALIS: I remind the opposition that they had instructed …
Mr Elferink: This is just ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is incumbent upon all ministers to tell the truth when they come to this place. That answer is not the truth.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat! That is not a point of order!
Mr Vatskalis: Madam Speaker ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am very proud to be the first minister in the Territory’s history to have a Health budget of more than $1bn. That was last year. This year it is even bigger - $1.12bn. We are delivering more for Territorians, whether they live in the city or in remote areas.
We have delivered more frontline workers for the health system than ever before. Since 2002, we have employed 677 nurses and 208 doctors. To give an example, from 1996 to 1999 the Country Liberal Party dismissed 200 nurses.
This government provides a record budget for our hospitals: $315m for RDH, up 181% since 2001; $143m for Alice Springs Hospital, up 165%; $31m for Katherine; $23m for Gove District Hospital; and $13.3m for Tennant Creek Hospital. We are providing $14.6m under the National Partnership Agreement on Hospital and Health Workforce Reform program to further reduce waiting times in emergency departments and for elective surgery. The money we spend is money well spent.
The member for Greatorex always talks about outcomes, and I would like to give him some outcomes. Because of the money we are investing in health, we have seen a three-year improvement in life expectancy of Aboriginal women. We have seen a drop in the Indigenous infant mortality rate by 35%, and a life expectancy for people on renal dialysis now equal to the national rate, an improvement to their life of seven years. That not only applies to Indigenous women, but also to women living in urban centres. For non-Indigenous women, the mortality rate from cervical cancer has fallen by 64%, and by 92% for Indigenous women.
We have delivered $172m for primary health care. For alcohol treatment options, we now deliver $5.2m. The most important investment is in mental health services with an extra $7.8m over three years for suicide prevention strategies and enhanced child and adolescent services. Territorians deserve a very good health service. They deserve to receive the same service they would receive if they lived in Perth, Adelaide, or Sydney. We ensure we invest in our health service to provide this health service ...
Mr Conlan interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: I know the opposition talks about deficit. I remind them, in 2001 in their budget books, they did not have any deficit. They presented to this parliament balanced books. When we investigated after we came to government, we found a deficit of $127m ...
Mr Elferink: You manufactured that when you got to government. You fibber!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin!
Mr VATSKALIS: I remind the opposition that they had instructed …
Mr Elferink: This is just ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is incumbent upon all ministers to tell the truth when they come to this place. That answer is not the truth.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat! That is not a point of order!
Mr Vatskalis: Madam Speaker ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016