Fed: Rudd continues all or nothing demand on health reform

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2010
Fed: Rudd continues all or nothing demand on health reform

By Sandra O'Malley, Senior Political Writer

CANBERRA, April 15 AAP - Kevin Rudd is continuing to demand an all-or-nothing deal
when he meets state and territory leaders next week, refusing to consider an extension
of his deadline.

Victorian Premier John Brumby, the most trenchant critic of the prime minister's health
and hospital reform plan, has talked up the prospect of an "in-principle" agreement when
leaders meet on Monday.

The detail would then be nutted out over coming weeks.

But Mr Rudd isn't having a bar of further delays.

"I think the Australian people are fed up with waiting for reform for the health and
hospital system," he told reporters.

"We are proposing a formal intergovernmental agreement with the states and territories
on the future of the health and hospital system.

"The Australian government's position on that will not change."

He's not a fan of another issue many states are pursuing - a single funding pool.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has signalled it is an ideal worth considering.

"We will not accept a recipe for inaction by either Premier Brumby or, for that matter,
Mr Abbott," Mr Rudd said, accusing the pair of being satisfied with the current health
system.

"It seems to boil down to Mr Brumby and Mr Abbott saying the current system is good enough."

Mr Rudd will formally put his health offer to state and territory leaders at the Council
of Australian Governments (CoAG) on Monday - if he can't get agreement, he has threatened
to take the matter to a referendum.

He wants to take back 30 per cent of GST revenue from the states and, in return, the
commonwealth will take control of majority funding of public hospitals.

Victoria is standing firm, but Mr Rudd did get another leader on side.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson backs the prime minister's proposal
- but with two provisos.

He wants to make sure the commonwealth takes account of the NT's indigenous health
issues and small population.

And NSW Premier Kristina Keneally, who has been making conciliatory noises, warned
the federal government against taking her support as a given.

"I wouldn't pre-empt the decision and position NSW is going to take," she told Macquarie
Radio Network on Thursday.

Ms Keneally admitted there was common ground but said some serious concerns remained.

"Particularly around the financial arrangements, particularly around whether or not
this proposal represents an increase in bureaucracy, whether or not it represents an increase
in complexity, whether it truly will end the blame game and deliver new money into our
system," she said.

"If we cannot be assured of those things, we cannot sign up to it."

Ms Keneally will take the decision to her cabinet on Friday, hours before chairing
a phone hook-up of state and territory leaders.

The states that have fallen in behind Mr Rudd are voicing frustration at the opposition
being demonstrated by Mr Brumby.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh urged all premiers to get on board.

"I'd hate to see it derailed because one or two states are not prepared to do the hard
yards and get over the problems," she said.

Mr Abbott told Macquarie Radio Network Mr Rudd was trying to rush through a deal.

"You can't try to change the world overnight. If you do, you invariably make a bad
situation worse," Mr Abbott said.

The federal government originally promised its hospital reform plan by the middle of last year.

AAP so/jl

KEYWORD: HOSPITALS WRAP

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