PM: Well it's great to be out in Broken Hill today, and great to be out here with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and great to have had a chance to visit the Broken Hill Base Hospital. We're here to talk about the future of the health and hospital system of Australia. And the Government has put forward a new, National Health and Hospital network funded nationally, run locally, with the Australian Government for the first time being the dominant funders of the entire scheme.
I've listened today carefully to what local representatives of the RFDS and the local hospital and other health services have had to say to us. The Royal Flying Doctor Service briefing to us is of itself significant. Right now, we have something of a dog's breakfast when it comes to the funding arrangements between Canberra and the states for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. We can do a lot better on that for the future. For example, I believe the Australian Government needs to become the exclusive funder of all the primary care services delivered by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
We also need to have a much better and predictable arrangement for the funding of aircraft like this. This Australian Government has funded 60% of the cost of the aircraft behind us. The Royal Flying Doctor Service operate 56 of these around the nation. We need to have a better and more predictable funding arrangement for them for the future, because all Australians, country and city, metropolitan, regional, rural and remote citizens, all deserve better health and better hospital services. That's what working families are saying for us everywhere.
The second point I'd make here is having spent some time with the folks from the Broken Hill Base Hospital is the importance of supporting the rural health program run by the University of Sydney and others out of this centre. And what we need to do is get behind the delivery of rural and remote health services nationwide. It doesn't matter where you live in Australia, big cities, small towns, regional centres like this. If you're in the bush, if you're in the outback, or in downtown Sydney, better health and better hospital services are needed.
One of the challenges here is to make sure that we're providing the best support possible for the doctors who come here to train, the nurses who come here to train, and the allied health professionals who come here to train. That's why I'm pleased to confirm today that the Australian Government will be investing some $2 million to make sure that we are providing an expansion of student accommodation services, and also, additional teaching facilities for the Broken Hill university department of rural health. We think this is really important for the future.
You see, health and hospital services are fundamental to the nation's future, fundamental, also, to what we do as a country long-term. Can I also say this when it comes to the future of our health and hospital services, and this is a really important point- for the future, I would really appeal to Mr Abbott to get onboard with health and hospital reform. I would really appeal to Mr Abbott to get onboard for better health and better hospital services for all Australians. I would really appeal to Mr Abbott to get onboard for delivering a better health and better hospital services here in regional, rural and outback Australia as well.
One of the things we've offered Mr Abbott is an immediate technical briefing on the implications of our reform plan for the nation. That offer has been with him for some time. I would urge him to take up that offer tomorrow. People are sick and tired of politicians pointing fingers at each other on the question of health and hospitals, and better health and better hospital services for all Australians. People have had a gutful of the finger-pointing, they want all of us to point to a direction ahead to change the system for the better, for the future.
Having said those few things, I am happy to take some questions, and then if our friend from the RFDS wants to add?
DOCTOR: No, I would support your comments (inaudible), and we look forward to the national funding model. Prime Minister, it's very reassuring to us and to people in the bush to hear your support.
PM: Okay- now folks, over to you. Any questions?
JOURNALIST: What are you going to do for the Broken Hill health (inaudible)
PM: Well, I've just mentioned that we're investing $2 million here. On the additional services- and I've spoken to some of the young doctors here this morning- what are one of the things they need? More accommodation. One of the other things they need, is they need expanded teaching facilities. This allocation here, like many others which will be announced in the days ahead right across rural, regional, remote Australia, head in that direction.
The other thing, of course, which will become relevant here, is the rural doctors incentives scheme which we have just expanded significantly, covering some 500 locations across the country, and some 2,500 I believe doctors. The third thing is this- we've offered now to invest in some 6,500 additional GP and specialist training places for the country, and a large slice of those will be heading out to rural centres like this, regional centres, outback centres like this. It's all to make a difference for the future.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just with regards to your health reforms, could you just tell us the difference between a city hospital and Broken Hill in terms of block funding?
PM: When it comes to the future of, let me say, hospitals like the one at Broken Hill, and the smaller country hospitals around, we are very clear about this- there is nothing in the new National Health and Hospitals Network which would result in any one of these services being closed. Furthermore, let me say this- in fact, what we'll be providing is, for smaller country hospitals, block funding support to ensure they continue into the future. Let's not have any irrational fear campaigns based on this. We want better health and better hospital services for all Australians, whether they need to be brought to those services on aircraft of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, whether they need to be brought to Base Hospitals like here at Broken Hill, or be tended to on the way through in a small country hospital. It's not a time to talk about cutbacks, quite the reverse. It's a time to head in the reverse direction and invest in the future needs of the system.
JOURNALIST: Sorry, can I just clarify one thing, is Broken Hill Base Hospital a small hospital?
PM: Broken Hill Base Hospital is about 90 beds. It has a staff, I understand, of about 20 doctors- am I right? And a couple of hundred nurses. This is not a small hospital. But you know something, this hospital will be expanding under the investment plan that we will put underneath it for the future.
JOURNALIST: Why Broken Hill specifically to get the funding? Surely other places, rural, remote communities need the money, too?
PM: Well today, the announcement I've made in terms of support for student accommodation, teaching facilities, will be replicated to 20 or 30 different locations across the nation. This, however, is, let me say it, the heart of outback Australia. If you want to make it very plain to the people who live in the bush and the outback that the Government supports their needs for better health and better hospital services, it's a good place to come. Also, when you come to places like this, you learn a thing or two, as I have with our conversations this morning with the folk who actually work here.
JOURNALIST: So Prime Minister, can I just- I don't mean to go over this again- but will Broken Hill Hospital be subjected to block funding, or will they be on the casemix funding?
PM: When it comes to the future of Broken Hill's funding for its downstream services, it is categorised now as a significant regional hospital. It'll be funded accordingly. If any further services needed to be funded on a block funding basis, it will be. Let me be very clear to the people of Broken Hill and this region- there is nothing in our proposal which would result in any reduction to its services. In fact, what I see is a funding model which would lead to an expansion of its services in the future, of the type that we've announced today.
JOURNALIST: How does being in Broken Hill in terms of the Labor party heartland? How do you feel?
PM: Well, you know something, it's my first time to Broken Hill. I understand there've been a couple of Prime Ministers who've been here before. It's about a quarter of a century since the last one, and about a quarter of a century between that one and the previous one. Let's make it a more regular visit in the future.
JOURNALIST: So we're going to see you back here soon?
PM: Well, you'll see me back. I think this is a great part of Australia. Its contributed hugely to the national economy over the decades and the centuries. But what you see out here is this great dedication by health professionals who are passionate about their work. Talking to these young doctors over here in their third, fourth, fifth year of medical studies, from centres as far removed as Sydney, from Adelaide, and even from the great state of Queensland, can I say that what impresses me is their- what was funny about that?
DOCTOR: It's just that they came here to get a better education.
PM: That's right- is that they came here because they're dedicated to providing services to people who are out here in rural and regional Australia. Let me finish my remarks today by saying a few things about my political opponent. Can I say for Tony Abbott's race today, I wish him all the best in his race. If it was me, I'd probably collapse in the first leg. But can I say, he's out there in a tough field of competitors, and good on him.
JOURNALIST: Did you have a bet on him?
PM: I just wish him well. As I said, if it was me, like most blokes in Australia, I think you'd be collapsing under the pressure on the first leg. So, anyway, good luck to him.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, can you just comment on the asylum seekers that have been transferred to Villawood? What's happening out there at the moment, and are they going to be processed on the mainland? Why?
PM: Can I say that the Australian Government makes no apology for deciding when certain people who come here as asylum seekers are not legitimate asylum seekers. That's what's happened in this case. Our view as a Government is that when it comes to asylum seekers, if they do not pass the test of being legitimate asylum seekers, then they are sent home. That is what has happened with the decision made about this group of 90 or 100 asylum seekers, and that is why they are currently being processed for return back home. That's as it should be. A system which is fair and balanced, one which treats legitimate asylum seekers fairly, one which sends those who are not legitimate asylum seekers back home. And that's what we're doing.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, obviously you're on a whirlwind-
PM: They are great glasses.
JOURNALIST: Pardon?
PM: Great sunnies.
JOURNALIST: Oh, thank you! You're on a bit of a whirlwind trip today-
PM: Where'd you get those?
JOURNALIST: Broken Hill actually, locally bought. You're- considering how close you are to-
PM: What'd they cost?
JOURNALIST: Considering how close you are to the Menindee Lakes at the moment, and how important water is both for the region and nationally, have you considered making time to go down and visit them?
PM: Can I say that I have been briefed extensively by the Minister for Water, Penny Wong, on the needs of the overall system, the particular significance of the Menindee akes. I'm also familiar with the overall challenges of the system. Remember this- for the first time in Australia's history, we will have, now, a Murray-Darling Basin Authority responsible for the entire system, the first time in the country's history. Secondly, for the first time in the country's history, we will have a cap, scientifically determined, for the use for the overall system. And thirdly, for the first time in the country's history, we are purchasing back huge amounts of water entitlements in order to take the pressure off the system.
These are three big firsts. But you know something, we're also dealing with the ravages of climate change when it comes to the water system of this nation. And that means we've got to tackle it both in the immediate sense and the long-term sense. But as for the Menindee lakes, the Climate Change Minister and others, including the Parliamentary Secretary, I'm sure will be here on a regular basis.
Okay folks, we've got to zip, because I understand you've got some customers coming in here soon as well. Thanks.