Palaszczuk says feds owe state $300m
While refusing to admit the state’s hospitals are in crisis, the Premier has sought to shift the blame over the current bed shortage, but it's drawing criticism from the Opposition.
THE Premier has again attempted to deflect blame to the Federal Government over Queensland’s health woes.
Annastacia Palaszczuk claims the Federal Government owes her government $300 million in health funding.
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Speaking in Parliament yesterday amid questions over the hospital saga, the Premier (pictured) said Queensland had a record health budget.
“At last count, the Federal Government owed us $300 million,” she said.
“In fact, the Health Minister (Steven Miles) and I have written numerous letters to the Prime Minister demanding the money.”
A spokesman for Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Coalition was delivering more than $2.2 billion more to Queensland hospitals this year, compared to what the former Labor Government funded during its last year.
“It is an undeniable fact that since 2014-15, funding from the Commonwealth has grown by $1.2 billion or 40 per cent, yet during the same period the Palaszczuk Labor Government has only provided an additional $748 million or 12 per cent,” he said.
“It is an undeniable fact that federal funding to Queensland hospitals has grown at three times the rate of Queensland funding.”
Mr Hunt’s spokesman said the State Government had engineered a crisis due to its own incompetence.
“One in 10 public hospital beds in Queensland are being taken up by privately insured patients – Queensland’s Labor Government is chasing private patient revenue at the expense of public patients,” he said.
Mr Miles yesterday denied private patients using the public sector had contributed to increased numbers.
Originally published as Palaszczuk says feds owe state $300m
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