Fed: Howard rejects criticism of hospital intervention

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2007
Fed: Howard rejects criticism of hospital intervention

The Prime Minister's defended federal intervention in state government affairs against
criticism that further bailouts of hospitals would create a Third World health system.

Health Minister TONY ABBOTT will travel to Tasmania this week to talk about commonwealth
funding of the Mersey Hospital .. which has been dismissed by opponents as federal election
pork-barrelling.

Victorian Premier JOHN BRUMBY says extrapolating the 45 million-dollar-per-year bailout
in Tasmania across the nation's hundreds of public hospitals would be disastrous.

Mr HOWARD says he can't understand the criticisms from state governments of the Mersey
takeover .. and the federal government has a duty to intervene when state governments
aren't meeting their responsibilities.

AAP RTV pw/imc/

KEYWORD: STATES HOSPITAL (CANBERRA)

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