May 15 2018 Government must explain $201 million cut to health Analysis by the WA Liberal Opposition has revealed the McGowan Government will cut health spending by $201 million. Shadow Minister for Health; Mental Health Sean L’Estrange said the State Government needed to outline to West Australians which health services they would be denied as a result of these health budget funding cuts. “The delivery of health services is one of the most important areas of responsibility of government; you cannot remove more than $200 million in funding without explaining how it will impact people’s lives,” Mr L’Estrange said. “You cannot make a cut of this magnitude and say no services will be affected. Services will be affected and the Government needs to explain what those services are. “Mark McGowan promised gold standard transparency when he was elected, particularly in relation to health, and whether or not he explains these funding changes will be a test of his so-called gold standard transparency.” Mr L’Estrange said the $201 million decrease in State Government funding comprised cuts of $37 million in 2018/19, $74 million in 2019/20 and $90 million in 2020/21. “We have seen in the education portfolio how the Government attempted to sneak through a number of cuts to programs and services in regional WA,” Mr L’Estrange said. “This is why I am calling on the Minister for Health to be up front and to detail, line item by line item, all of the cuts proposed in the 2018/19 budget. Under questioning in Parliament today, the Minister did not deny the cuts to the health budget but chose not to outline where those cuts would occur. “Gold standard transparency demands the McGowan Government be up front with the people of Western Australia and communicate openly and honestly about how it is going to achieve a $201 million reduction in health spending.” Media Contact |
