All sides are declaring victory in the battle over public hospital reform, except no one seems to have actually won — yet.
PM Kevin Rudd has managed to come to an agreement with all of the State Premiers except WA’s Colin Barnett, who is still standing firm and refusing to fork out a third of his state’s annual GST receipts to fund the plan.
For his part, Rudd has won five of the six votes he needs to go ahead — even turning naysayers Kristina Keneally and John Brumby around. But he has also had to make some pretty big concessions and promises: $800 million for mental health, 1300 more hospital beds and 6000 more doctors.
And, most significantly, he has had to back down on federal control of health funds, compromising instead on a pool of federal and state funds that will be controlled by the states.
Kristina Keneally declared to the Twittersphere yesterday:
Brumby, whose backdown was far bigger, was more understated:
Keneally’s crowing reflects the new COAG pecking order, according to Simon Benson’s behind-the-scenes report in the Daily Tele:
A new clique had emerged, including Ms Keneally, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and South Australian Premier Mike Rann.Mr Brumby was visibly dejected.
But while the eastern states play their usual game of pretending WA doesn’t exist, Colin Barnett is raining on everyone’s parade, telling ABC’s 7:30 Report last night:
WA will not be signing the agreement as it stands. The third aspect of the Commonwealth essentially taking one third of the total GST pool is not acceptable to me and it is not acceptable to WA.
Will Rudd have to make even more concessions before he can truly declare victory? The SMH says a separate agreement can be made with WA, but the battle-weary PM will have to face regular foes Nick Xenophon and Steve Fielding to pull it off.
As the dust settles in Canberra, the nation’s pundits weigh-in on who — if anyone — actually won yesterday, and predict how the next war will play out:
The Australian
Editorial: Over the line, but will this deal really fix health?
… it is the premiers who have emerged as the real winners from yesterday’s health and hospital package
Dennis Shanahan: It’s a ‘deal’, except not everyone agreed
… there is no deal and there is uncertainty about the future.
Paul Kelly: PM’s scramble to brink of a health victory
This is no textbook example of sound governance or sensible process.
Peter van Onselen: Barnett’s prescription for keeping states’ rights intact
Barnett is fighting a losing battle … But doing so is popular in the west.
The Age
Editorial: Rudd’s health deal must pass real-world test
Only frantic last-minute negotiations salvaged a deal. Who knows what glitches might emerge from that?
Michelle Grattan: PM gets his reform, but at what cost?
In the end, Brumby behaved like a Labor mate; Barnett, a Liberal, didn’t have such an obligation
Paul Austin: Please explain, Mr Premier
Brumby now has to persuade Victorians they should be pleased with the comparatively small advances he has gained.
Katharine Murphy: A maculate conception
The health debate has centred the government and given it ballast on favourable political turf.
Misha Schubert: Pledges spark a domino effect
Sydney Morning Herald
Editorial: Health reform coughs into life
GST revenue, like all tax revenue, belongs to Australia’s taxpayers, not to a particular set of politicians.
Peter Hartcher: Confident PM sets the stage for election
Rudd needed a major deal to be able to claim that he is a reforming prime minister.
Lenore Taylor: How the West was lost: PM’s magnificent seven let lone outlaw escape
… from Rudd’s point of view the longer he can keep talking about health, the better.
The National Times
Bella Counihan: Rudd’s COAG: poker faces and no blank cheques
Rudd remains in a good position in the game, still holding a good hand
The West Australian
Editorial: Rushed deal wrapped in red tape
Mr Rudd should have waited until he’d got all his ducks in a row.
Courier Mail
Dennis Atkins: PM’s poll chances a lot healthier
It not only entrenches [Rudd’s] credentials as a reformer … but also stamps him as someone serious about reshaping the federation.
Daily Telegraph
Editorial: Good health above politics
Keneally is likely to emerge with her formerly slender leadership reputation significantly enhanced.
Malcolm Farr: Wild west may yet scuttle the best laid plans of Rudd and his band of premiers
…. if Western Australia continues to refuse to join the health funding reforms, the entire national agreement will collapse.
ABC
Lyndal Curtis: Blame game ends in wrestle for cash
In the end, Paul Keating was right. Never stand between a premier and a bucket of money.
Fran Kelly: Missed it by that much: how the health deal went West
… premiers hate being forced to stay overnight in Canberra, and they’d already had a one-night sleepover. This is a bigger issue than you might think.
Elsewhere…
New Matilda, Ben Eltham: Brass in pocket
Many state bureaucracies fear that they will become a mere branch office of federal departments in Canberra.
The above comments, sum up perfectly the doomsday negative attitude of most of the so called leading scribes in this country. What a sad pathetic bunch of whingers.
In their heart of hearts, most Sandgropers have always dreamed of seceding. So let ’em. No need to join in a national health scheme. Plenty of resource money. Makes the AFL an international competition. Long Live Westralia!
But oops! Who are those people in boats approaching the coast of the brave new nation of Westralia? Oh well, nothing to do with the rest of us 🙂
Hurrah, another administration layer to divert even more cash to carpeted offices and reporting systems, my hips feeling better already.