JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, North Korea appears to have dropped its demand for unilateral talks on nuclear weapons. Is this a significant breakthrough?
PRIME MINISTER:
If that is the case - and I';m awaiting confirmation - but if that is the case it is very good news. It is very much in line with the diplomacy that Australia has been pursuing. It shows a welcome involvement by China which is something that I';ve advocated consistently and it is hopeful. But if it is correct then it is very good news and something that we should welcome and it is something that Australia would strongly support.
JOURNALIST:
Will you intervene in the stalemate between Kay Patterson and State Health Ministers?
PRIME MINISTER:
Intervene in a stalemate? Look, we have made an offer to increase by 17% in real terms, that';s over and above inflation, the amount of money we are giving to the states and for some extraordinary reason they are not prepared to match our increase with their increase. So before they start asking us for more they should at least match what we have put up. It';s a very fair offer. Considering that these are hospitals that are run by the states, we have no control over how they are run, how the money is spent, they are all run by state governments and we';ve put our money on the table. The states won';t put their money on the table even in relation to their own hospitals. We have been very reasonable, very generous, and it is a very good offer and we are going to stick to it.
JOURNALIST:
Are you prepared to discuss it at the COAG meeting?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, our position is very clear. We will pay the increase on condition the states match it. If the states don';t match our increase then we';ll pay them the same money they are getting under the current agreement so they won';t be any worse off. But it is in the interests of the patients of Australia that state governments stop playing politics on this issue, match the increase of the Commonwealth in relation to their own hospitals. I mean, the patients are the people who should be considered, not some kind of silly stand-off because you';ve got eight state and territory Labor governments and a federal Liberal government. We';ve put our money on the table. I mean, I wrote to the premiers about this months ago, put all the money on the table, said we';d increase our funding by 17% in real terms, by $10 billion over the current funding on condition that they matched it. But they haven';t matched it, and until they do, I think their bona fides is very much under question.
JOURNALIST:
What';s your reaction on Labor';s ad on Medicare, Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think the ad is more about saving Simon Crean than saving Medicare. But look, to go to the substance of the ad, I am told that at the present time if you are not bulk-billed the average amount that you have to pay for a consultation over and above the Medicare rebate is $13, so therefore it is blatantly dishonest scaremongering to run an ad talking about $40, $60 and $100. The truth is that if you are not bulk-billed now the average you have to ultimately meet is $13. To talk about $40 or $60 or $100 is just plain dishonest.
(ends)