State and territories should not expect extra health funding from the cash-strapped Albanese government before 2025, the Health Minister said.
State and territories should not expect extra health funding from the cash strapped Albanese government before 2025, as Mark Butler warnsPromising improved relations with state counterparts, the newly appointed health minister said take-up of vaccine booster shots remains too low in Australia. He expects business to continue to face workforce pressures amid high daily COVID-19 infection rates, deaths and the spread of winter influenza.
Mr Butler said case rates and deaths among elderly and vulnerable people would taper, including through the use of available oral COVID-19 treatments Lagevrio and Paxlovid. “I don’t pretend that means that states aren’t going to continue to make the case for new hospital funding arrangements, but we’ve got an agreement that runs until 2025,” Mr Butler said.