HOST: And we're joined live now by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Prime Minister thanks for your time. When things go wrong now in our public hospital system can patients blame you?
PM: Look, when it comes to the overall funding for the public hospital systems of Australia and the health system, as I said prior to the last election, the buck stops with me. What we've brought about is big reforms today. The Australian government, for the first time, being the dominant funder of the public hospital system of Australia. In the past that wasn't the case. The exclusive funder of primary health care, what happens outside of hospitals like with GPs and the exclusive funder for the first time, of aged care. These are big reforms necessary for long-term funding certainty for our public hospital system.
HOST: Prime Minister you've promised an incredible amount of money, $20 billion, where's it coming from?
PM: Well let me say we're investing at two levels. Firstly, action must start this year. Our accident and emergencies need help, our elective surgery needs help as well, and this investment will go to such things as 1,300 new hospital beds, it will got to 2,500 new aged care places, it will go to more than 6,000 new medical training places for more doctors. This is the heart and soul of fundamental health reform. And also for accident and emergency and elective surgery, new targets there which are delivered by extra investment on the ground. This will take time to do. We must start now and all the detailed funding arrangements for this will be clearly outlined in the Budget. These will be fully costed and fully funded.
HOST: Alright Prime Minister, thank you very much for your time this evening.
PM: Thank you.