Anthony Albanese’s first National Cabinet: More Covid-19 hospital funding, new 2030 target

Anthony Albanese’s first National Cabinet came with some changes that will affect how Australia moves forward with Covid-19 and climate. This is what happened.

State and territory leaders have backed a referendum for a Constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament and welcomed an extension of federal government funding for hospitals at a “refreshingly collaborative” meeting of National Cabinet in Canberra.

The energy crisis had been expected to dominate discussion during Anthony Albanese’s first National Cabinet meeting as Prime Minister, but signs of division on the issue were not apparent.

Mr Albanese said Cabinet had “noted further challenges” the nation was currently facing from energy markets, but revealed state and territory leaders also backed the 43 per cent greenhouse gas emission reduction target for 2030, which the federal government formally adopted this week.

Mr Albanese said he would be announcing Australia’s new 2030 target (an increase from the 26-28 per cent cut we promised to make as part of the Paris Agreement) at an Advanced Economies Forum convened by US President Joe Biden on Friday night, Australian time.

He also announced Queensland Labor Senator Murray Watt would be reviewing federal government disaster recovery funding, saying it was important such funding was “consistent, streamlined and equitable”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomes the State Premiers at the national cabinet meeting. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

State and territory leaders gave a big tick of approval to Mr Albanese’s announcement that

Commonwealth Covid-related hospital funding would be extended until December.

Mr Albanese also announced he had asked PM & C Secretary Professor Glyn Davis to conduct a “process review” of health funding arrangements.

The review wouldn’t necessarily involve “additional dollars,” Mr Albanese said, but it would look at ways to alleviate pressure on the hospital system by ensuring people could receive care through their GP and aged care networks.

National Cabinet would meet a minimum of four times a year, including before the federal budget in October, the Prime Minister announced, and once a year it would include a representative from local government and Treasury, “to ensure that all levels of government are able to be involved”. Productivity and removing duplication would be a key focus, Mr Albanese said.

On the issue of the Voice to Parliament, Mr Albanese said state and territory leaders had “expressed their support for the Commonwealth’s commitment to progress a referendum”.

“It is something that’s got to be progressed, this year and this term,” he said.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the meeting was ‘refreshingly collaborative’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said National Cabinet was prioritising patients over politics. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The congenial tone of the meeting was emphasised by NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, one of only two Liberal leaders in National Cabinet, who called the meeting “refreshingly collaborative”.

The extension of federal hospital funding until December was a “great start,” he said.

“This is something we have been discussing at National Cabinet for some time, so to have the first meeting today and for this matter to be resolved in some degree … is incredibly welcome and supported by every state and chief minister,” Mr Perrottet said.

He also welcomed the announcement of the health funding review, saying it “has been in the ‘too hard’ basket for too long”.

Similar comments came from the Queensland and Victorian premiers.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was a “refreshing change to be able to discuss health”.

“Previously we have tried to get this on the agenda. We are absolutely united in this and we welcome the extra funding today,” she said.

The line-up (l-r): NSW Premier Dominic Perottet, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, WA Premier Mark McGowan, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said “politics was put aside at this meeting” and the needs of patients were being put first.

“That is the most important thing,” he said.

Asked later about the Victorian government’s previous memorandum of understanding with the Chinese government on Beijing’s belt and road initiative, which was scuttled by the former Morrison government, Mr Andrews confirmed he would not be revisiting the issue.

“Those matters have been settled,” he said.

Mr Albanese said skills shortages were also discussed during Friday’s meeting, and migration would “need to be part of the solution”.

“We will work with the business community … to address those issues,” Mr Albanese said.

Asked how the skills crisis was affecting Western Australia, Premier Mark McGowan said he “obviously wanted to work cooperatively,” but the west was also locked in a battle for skilled workers with the eastern states.

Mr McGowan said skilled workers could get high-paying jobs in the west, as well as houses that were “half the price” of dwellings in Sydney and Melbourne.

“So there’s a lot of appeal in coming and living in Western Australia,” Mr McGowan said, before noting he had “just wrecked the spirit of bipartisanship” evident in Friday’s meeting.

Originally published as Anthony Albanese’s first National Cabinet: More Covid-19 hospital funding, new 2030 target