First Prime Minister Kevin Rudd denied it, now he admits that more than 100 New South Wales hospitals and regional health facilities are in danger from his governments health reform plans, said Nationals NSW Senator Fiona Nash.
Yesterdays admission by the Prime Minister that Labor needs to underpin the continuation of smaller rural hospitals in the future confirms the Nationals concerns for hospitals and health issues across regional NSW, said Senator Fiona Nash.
Since NSW Health officials let it be known, earlier this month, that Kevin Rudds reform could force the closure of more than 100 NSW hospitals, almost all of which are in regional NSW the Nationals have been saying we are not been getting the whole story on hospital reform from Labor.
It took the bright lights of a televised national debate on health issues between the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott for Kevin Rudd to finally admit he needs to protect regional hospitals and health facilities from falling victim to Labors health reform agenda.
In a policy back flip move that would make an Olympic gymnast proud even the head of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Andrew Pesce, admitted it was the first hed heard Prime Minister Rudds change of policy.
Now that we know regional hospitals are a real problem for Kevin Rudd we deserve to know how hes going to fix them.
In the next 12 months NSW voters head to the ballot box for two elections, Federal and New South Wales.
The Prime Minister must give the voters of NSW real answers on hospitals and health, and not gloss over it with spin, so voters can make informed decisions in time for the next election.
Senator Nash said Prime Minister Rudd says he'll fix it, but based on his record in stripping funds, projects and programs from the regions who would seriously believe him?
Media contact: Kaliegh Blake 0403068913
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 3:16 PM
If the debate showed anything it was that the Coalition has no plans for hospitals other than the status quo. From reading this tripe it is obvious that you like your leader Tony Abbott are simply negative, obstructionist and hopelessly out of ideas. Time you got a real job outside of the protected precinct of the senate because you are achieving little of substance.