COAG summit moved to avoid clash with soldier's funeral
A COUNCIL of Australian Governments meeting on health reforms has been brought forward to Sunday amid growing pressure on Labor to seal the deal.
A COUNCIL of Australian Governments meeting to discuss health reforms has been brought forward to Sunday amid growing pressure on the Gillard government to seal the deal.
The COAG meeting has been moved from Monday to avoid a potential clash with the funeral of the latest Australian soldier to die in Afghanistan, Corporal Richard Atkinson.
Sources said Julia Gillard was prepared to move on funding arrangements but was committed to service delivery improvements.
An extra $1 billion of Commonwealth funding is now on the table, and a push for the states to surrender 30 per cent for their GST has been removed.
The states and some health professionals are concerned a proposed guarantee of hospital treatment within four hours would cause cost and service difficulties.
The Prime Minister will tell the premiers that the cost of the proposed health reform deal, put at $15 billion when produced last year under her predecessor Kevin Rudd, has risen to $16 billion.
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