Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been caught breaking another election promise with Health Minister Peter Dutton today confirming $560 million will be cut from hospital funding.
Before the election, Tony Abbott promised no cuts to health and hospitals. However, analysis of budget documents revealed today show the Liberal Government will spend $560 million less on Australia’s public hospitals over the forward estimates compared to what was committed in the Budget by Labor.
Djerriwarrh Health Services will not be spared these cuts with the figures showing that the Liberals will cut over $1.2 million from Djerriwarrh Health Services over the next four years – with $119,211 in funding scrapped in this financial year alone.
Federal Member for Ballarat, Catherine King said the Abbott Government cannot be trusted to protect our health system.
“The Liberals are cutting funding from our local hospitals, reducing access to health services with its new GP Tax, and imposing the largest increase to Private Health Insurance Premiums in a decade,” Ms King said.
“These cuts hurt families and patients right across our community and are just the tip of the iceberg – with more cuts to come from the Commission of Audit report, which the Government refuses to release until after the Western Australian Senate Election.
“This is another example of Tony Abbott’s twisted priorities – why is his Government cutting funding to hospitals but happy to give $75,000 to income high earners as part of his unfair and unaffordable Paid Parental Leave Scheme?
“The Liberal Government’s priorities are all wrong.”