Labor leader Bill Shorten ups his attack on Turnbull Government over hospital funding

MONASH Health would face a $23 million shortfall over four years under a new hospital funding deal proposed by the federal government, new figures released show.

MONASH Health would face a mammoth $23 million shortfall over four years under a new hospital funding deal proposed by the federal government, new figures released show.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will on Wednesday step up his campaign attacking Malcolm Turnbull over the new funding deal, highlighting the hospitals hardest hit by what the Opposition argues is a $183 million cut to local health networks.

LABOR’S STRIFE OVER HEALTH REBATE

SHORTEN AIMS TO HIT LOWEST EARNERS

The federal government has offered Victoria a new five-year deal to inject an extra $7 billion into the state’s public hospitals by 2025.

But Labor says the government’s existing deal with the states until 2020 is not keeping pace with demand in Victoria’s emergency departments, which treated 1.7 million­ ­patients last year.

Bill Shorten, pictured with health spokeswoman Catherine King, has accused Malcolm Turnbull of short-changing Victorian hospitals.

New figures show that Dandenong and Casey hospitals and the Monash Medical Centre would be the big losers under the new agreement.

Eastern Health — which runs Box Hill, Angliss and ­Maroondah hospitals — would lose around $13.97 million while St Vincent’s Hospital ($7.81 million) and the Royal Children’s Hospital ($7.56 million) would also be hit.

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Mr Shorten will on Wednesday visit Sunshine Hospital in Melbourne’s west as part of Labor’s “Fix Our Hospitals” campaign.

“Mr Turnbull may think Victoria’s public hospitals are just lines on a spreadsheet, but we know how important they are to Victorians,” he said.

“We all know what these cuts will mean — longer waiting times, fewer health workers and less patient care.”

Monash Health, which runs Monash Medical Centre, as well as Dandenong and Casey hospitals would lose $23 million under the new deal, Labor says.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has argued the deal increases Victorian hospital funding to more than $31 billion in the five years to 2024-25 — up nearly 30 per cent.

But despite the renewed campaign, Labor is yet to commit to delivering extra cash to Victoria’s public hospitals and paying for half of their bills.

Mr Turnbull presented his hospital funding deal to state and territory leaders at last month’s Council of Australian Governments summit, saying it was a generous offer which provided record funding.

New South Wales and Western Australia signed up to the deal, but Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he could not agree “at this stage”.

Victoria has also complained it is owed another $104 million from the federal government for its hospitals, a spat which is expected to be resolved soon.

LABOR’S CLAIMS ON HEALTH CUTS

1. Monash Health - $23.47m (Monash Medical Centre, Dandenong Hospital, Casey Hospital)

2. Eastern Health - $13.97m (Box Hill Hospital, Angliss Hospital, Maroondah Hospital)

3. Alfred Health - $13.76m (Alfred Hospital, Sandringham Hospital)

4. Melbourne Health - $13.55m (Royal Melbourne Hospital)

5. Austin Health - $11.18m (Austin Hospital)

6. Western Health - $11.13m (Sunshine Hospital, Footscray Hospital, Williamstown Hospital)

7. Barwon Health - $8.41m (University Hospital Geelong)

8. Peninsula Health - $8.11m (Frankston Hospital, Rosebud Hospital)

9. St Vincent’s Hospital - $7.81m

10. Royal Children’s Hospital - $7.56m