11 May 2010 Splashing hundreds of millions of dollars on more so-called GP super clinics in tonight’s Budget would be a massive mistake, Shadow Minister for Health Peter Dutton said today.
It would be a massive mistake because the Rudd Government had shown itself incapable of delivering on its promises in health, Mr Dutton said.
“Three years ago Kevin Rudd promised to deliver 31 GP super clinics across Australia, now as it nears the end of an entire term in government Rudd Labor has delivered just two of these clinics that are fully operational.”
“It’s likely tonight they’ll promise more, but Australians shouldn’t hold their breath waiting to be treated in one of these clinics. It will be years before the clinics Mr Rudd promised three years ago open their doors.”
Mr Dutton said Rudd Labor had promised that 12 clinics would open in 2008-09 financial year and another 10 in 2009-10.
The reality was that only two were considered to be fully operational while a handful more were providing limited services.
“When Kevin Rudd makes a promise in health people should look at his track record,” Mr Dutton said.
“Remember he promised to have hospitals fixed by mid-last year and now after throwing another $5 billion at the states Mr Rudd says they’ll be fixed in 2020.”
Mr Dutton said Kevin Rudd now appeared to be just like the State Premiers who promised every election to “fix” health and never deliver.
“Imagine this government which can’t even put pink batts in rooves splashing out millions more on grand schemes to build these so-called super clinics when they’ve shown that they can’t even deliver the ones they’ve promised before.”
Media contact – John Wiseman 07 3205 9977 – 0429 983 618