COVID pandemic funding for the state and territory health systems will be extended until December 30 this year, the national cabinet leaders meeting has decided.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Prime Minister and first ministers have met in Canberra, the first national cabinet meeting since the election, to tackle the big issues facing the country like the pressing energy crisis and the ongoing pandemic.
"What it's about is a recognition that our hospital system at the moment has people who should be being looked after by their local GP - but GPs are just unavailable," Anthony Albanese told reporters following the meeting.
"That the lack of nurses and health professionals in the aged care system means that many people who should be either being looked after at home or looked after as aged care residents and up in the hospital system as well, putting further pressure on the system."
The 50-50 hospital funding split was due to expire in September. Some other funding components, now seen as unnecessary, will only continue to the end of September.
The move will cost the federal government $760 million to extend that funding by three months.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the funding extension was "a great start" after going into the meeting seeking a full 12-month extension. The meeting was "refreshingly collaborative, he said.
"But also I think in addition to that today, what is incredibly pleasing is a real focus of working with the states and territories in relation to substantive health reform going forward," Mr Perrottet said.
"This is something that has been in the too hard basket for too long."
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk agreed with her NSW counterpart in welcoming the extra funding.
"We got a Prime Minister who listens and understands that health is a big issue and it is a national issue that is of everybody across our nation, so we absolutely are united in this."
The leaders also noted the energy crisis faced by the East Coast and the Australian Energy Market Operator had initiated an intervention, but there were no new decisions made.
A push for a referendum to implement an Indigenous voice to Parliament was also raised.
Several new faces sat around the table, including South Australia's Peter Malinauskas, Tasmania's Jeremy Rockliff and Northern Territory's Natasha Fyles in addition to the new Prime Minister.
A representative for local government will be invited to a future meeting of the national cabinet, which agreed to meet a minimum of four times a year or as necessary, and will meet prior to the next federal budget in October this year.