STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr GOSLING (Solomon) (13:41): The budget delivered record investments in Northern Territory health care—an additional $741 million for NT public hospitals over the next five years, bringing total Commonwealth hospital funding to $3.5 billion over five years, which is a lot for the Northern Territory. This funding will improve hospital waiting times, reduce emergency department strain and crowding and free up hospital beds.

This builds on the unprecedented 30 per cent increase in NT hospital funding that we delivered in this financial year. No Commonwealth government in history has invested at this level into Northern Territory health. This budget also delivers $95.5 million for remote primary healthcare services in the Territory and a $66 million one-time untied fixed funding amount to address some of the challenges in delivering health services in the Northern Territory.

NT parliament estimates have confirmed that the CLP NT government is timing their health policy to the election cycle, as CLP health minister Edgington said himself. A new Royal Darwin Hospital is going to be needed, and Territory Labor is committed to it. Of course, they'll need significant funding from the Commonwealth, and I am committed to that.

The CLP is not interested, but Labor will get it done.