Victorian seat of Hawke reported to have ‘big swings' against Labor
Redbridge Group Director Kos Samaras says the Victorian seat of Hawke has reported 'big swings' against Labor.
'If you would have told me 20 years ago that the Coalition would be having a major campaign in Melton, I would have thought that you are crazy,' Mr Samaras said.
'That is the fact now, and it's the reality that Labor has to face, and that is, is it a manifestation of the Victorian government, yeah, in part sure, but I think what has been going on in Melbourne's western suburbs is in the making for over a decade.
'Hawke has consistently reported very big swings against Labor in all our research.'
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
ACT budget on life support amid health funding woes
The ACT budget has a health problem. When Treasurer Chris Steel, fresh in the job after Labor's seventh straight election win, provided a mid-year budget update in February, he was forced to make an embarrassing admission. The territory's budget deficit had blown out to $971 million, more than 50 per cent higher than predicted just seven months earlier. The government's anaemic revenue stream is falling behind what's needed to meet the growing demand for health services of its ageing population. Health spending accounted for less than 30 per cent of the ACT budget in the 90s, Mr Steel says. Now it accounts for 36 per cent. "All of us are facing this massive fiscal challenge from the growth in demand and cost on our hospital systems," the treasurer tells AAP. "That is something that we want to address with the Commonwealth sitting down and getting underway with negotiations on a new five-year National Health Reform Agreement." The agreement lays out how much funding the federal government doles out to states and territories to run their hospital systems. The current agreement runs out on June 30 and the Commonwealth has only guaranteed funding for one more year in a stop-gap deal for 2025/26. While the interim agreement gives the ACT a 16 per cent funding increase from the current financial year, Mr Steel says it's not enough. "The extent of demand and cost in the healthcare system is not being acknowledged by the Commonwealth," he says. Current funding arrangements would result in the federal government contributing to 33 per cent of ACT hospital funding, when the Albanese government has promised to raise their contribution to 45 per cent by 2035. A spokesperson for the federal Department of Health said the Commonwealth was working on finalising negotiations by the end of 2025. Mr Steel stresses the situation is changing for the better under the Albanese government, instead pinning the blame on the previous coalition government for a "decade of underinvestment" in Medicare and general practice. Tuesday's ACT budget will include measures to boost frontline services too, such as payroll tax changes that incentivise bulk billing, intended to take pressure off hospitals. In exchange for a better funding deal, the territory government could help its federal counterpart control the spiralling cost of the NDIS by providing more foundational supports for young males, who are signing up to the scheme at a rate of more than one in 10. "But we also need the Commonwealth to recognise that beyond the NDIS pressures, the major pressure that governments face in this country is about pressure on our acute hospital systems, and that is something that has to be addressed," Mr Steel says. The ACT budget has a health problem. When Treasurer Chris Steel, fresh in the job after Labor's seventh straight election win, provided a mid-year budget update in February, he was forced to make an embarrassing admission. The territory's budget deficit had blown out to $971 million, more than 50 per cent higher than predicted just seven months earlier. The government's anaemic revenue stream is falling behind what's needed to meet the growing demand for health services of its ageing population. Health spending accounted for less than 30 per cent of the ACT budget in the 90s, Mr Steel says. Now it accounts for 36 per cent. "All of us are facing this massive fiscal challenge from the growth in demand and cost on our hospital systems," the treasurer tells AAP. "That is something that we want to address with the Commonwealth sitting down and getting underway with negotiations on a new five-year National Health Reform Agreement." The agreement lays out how much funding the federal government doles out to states and territories to run their hospital systems. The current agreement runs out on June 30 and the Commonwealth has only guaranteed funding for one more year in a stop-gap deal for 2025/26. While the interim agreement gives the ACT a 16 per cent funding increase from the current financial year, Mr Steel says it's not enough. "The extent of demand and cost in the healthcare system is not being acknowledged by the Commonwealth," he says. Current funding arrangements would result in the federal government contributing to 33 per cent of ACT hospital funding, when the Albanese government has promised to raise their contribution to 45 per cent by 2035. A spokesperson for the federal Department of Health said the Commonwealth was working on finalising negotiations by the end of 2025. Mr Steel stresses the situation is changing for the better under the Albanese government, instead pinning the blame on the previous coalition government for a "decade of underinvestment" in Medicare and general practice. Tuesday's ACT budget will include measures to boost frontline services too, such as payroll tax changes that incentivise bulk billing, intended to take pressure off hospitals. In exchange for a better funding deal, the territory government could help its federal counterpart control the spiralling cost of the NDIS by providing more foundational supports for young males, who are signing up to the scheme at a rate of more than one in 10. "But we also need the Commonwealth to recognise that beyond the NDIS pressures, the major pressure that governments face in this country is about pressure on our acute hospital systems, and that is something that has to be addressed," Mr Steel says. The ACT budget has a health problem. When Treasurer Chris Steel, fresh in the job after Labor's seventh straight election win, provided a mid-year budget update in February, he was forced to make an embarrassing admission. The territory's budget deficit had blown out to $971 million, more than 50 per cent higher than predicted just seven months earlier. The government's anaemic revenue stream is falling behind what's needed to meet the growing demand for health services of its ageing population. Health spending accounted for less than 30 per cent of the ACT budget in the 90s, Mr Steel says. Now it accounts for 36 per cent. "All of us are facing this massive fiscal challenge from the growth in demand and cost on our hospital systems," the treasurer tells AAP. "That is something that we want to address with the Commonwealth sitting down and getting underway with negotiations on a new five-year National Health Reform Agreement." The agreement lays out how much funding the federal government doles out to states and territories to run their hospital systems. The current agreement runs out on June 30 and the Commonwealth has only guaranteed funding for one more year in a stop-gap deal for 2025/26. While the interim agreement gives the ACT a 16 per cent funding increase from the current financial year, Mr Steel says it's not enough. "The extent of demand and cost in the healthcare system is not being acknowledged by the Commonwealth," he says. Current funding arrangements would result in the federal government contributing to 33 per cent of ACT hospital funding, when the Albanese government has promised to raise their contribution to 45 per cent by 2035. A spokesperson for the federal Department of Health said the Commonwealth was working on finalising negotiations by the end of 2025. Mr Steel stresses the situation is changing for the better under the Albanese government, instead pinning the blame on the previous coalition government for a "decade of underinvestment" in Medicare and general practice. Tuesday's ACT budget will include measures to boost frontline services too, such as payroll tax changes that incentivise bulk billing, intended to take pressure off hospitals. In exchange for a better funding deal, the territory government could help its federal counterpart control the spiralling cost of the NDIS by providing more foundational supports for young males, who are signing up to the scheme at a rate of more than one in 10. "But we also need the Commonwealth to recognise that beyond the NDIS pressures, the major pressure that governments face in this country is about pressure on our acute hospital systems, and that is something that has to be addressed," Mr Steel says. The ACT budget has a health problem. When Treasurer Chris Steel, fresh in the job after Labor's seventh straight election win, provided a mid-year budget update in February, he was forced to make an embarrassing admission. The territory's budget deficit had blown out to $971 million, more than 50 per cent higher than predicted just seven months earlier. The government's anaemic revenue stream is falling behind what's needed to meet the growing demand for health services of its ageing population. Health spending accounted for less than 30 per cent of the ACT budget in the 90s, Mr Steel says. Now it accounts for 36 per cent. "All of us are facing this massive fiscal challenge from the growth in demand and cost on our hospital systems," the treasurer tells AAP. "That is something that we want to address with the Commonwealth sitting down and getting underway with negotiations on a new five-year National Health Reform Agreement." The agreement lays out how much funding the federal government doles out to states and territories to run their hospital systems. The current agreement runs out on June 30 and the Commonwealth has only guaranteed funding for one more year in a stop-gap deal for 2025/26. While the interim agreement gives the ACT a 16 per cent funding increase from the current financial year, Mr Steel says it's not enough. "The extent of demand and cost in the healthcare system is not being acknowledged by the Commonwealth," he says. Current funding arrangements would result in the federal government contributing to 33 per cent of ACT hospital funding, when the Albanese government has promised to raise their contribution to 45 per cent by 2035. A spokesperson for the federal Department of Health said the Commonwealth was working on finalising negotiations by the end of 2025. Mr Steel stresses the situation is changing for the better under the Albanese government, instead pinning the blame on the previous coalition government for a "decade of underinvestment" in Medicare and general practice. Tuesday's ACT budget will include measures to boost frontline services too, such as payroll tax changes that incentivise bulk billing, intended to take pressure off hospitals. In exchange for a better funding deal, the territory government could help its federal counterpart control the spiralling cost of the NDIS by providing more foundational supports for young males, who are signing up to the scheme at a rate of more than one in 10. "But we also need the Commonwealth to recognise that beyond the NDIS pressures, the major pressure that governments face in this country is about pressure on our acute hospital systems, and that is something that has to be addressed," Mr Steel says.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
ACT budget on life support amid health funding woes
The ACT budget has a health problem. When Treasurer Chris Steel, fresh in the job after Labor's seventh straight election win, provided a mid-year budget update in February, he was forced to make an embarrassing admission. The territory's budget deficit had blown out to $971 million, more than 50 per cent higher than predicted just seven months earlier. The government's anaemic revenue stream is falling behind what's needed to meet the growing demand for health services of its ageing population. Health spending accounted for less than 30 per cent of the ACT budget in the 90s, Mr Steel says. Now it accounts for 36 per cent. "All of us are facing this massive fiscal challenge from the growth in demand and cost on our hospital systems," the treasurer tells AAP. "That is something that we want to address with the Commonwealth sitting down and getting underway with negotiations on a new five-year National Health Reform Agreement." The agreement lays out how much funding the federal government doles out to states and territories to run their hospital systems. The current agreement runs out on June 30 and the Commonwealth has only guaranteed funding for one more year in a stop-gap deal for 2025/26. While the interim agreement gives the ACT a 16 per cent funding increase from the current financial year, Mr Steel says it's not enough. "The extent of demand and cost in the healthcare system is not being acknowledged by the Commonwealth," he says. Current funding arrangements would result in the federal government contributing to 33 per cent of ACT hospital funding, when the Albanese government has promised to raise their contribution to 45 per cent by 2035. A spokesperson for the federal Department of Health said the Commonwealth was working on finalising negotiations by the end of 2025. Mr Steel stresses the situation is changing for the better under the Albanese government, instead pinning the blame on the previous coalition government for a "decade of underinvestment" in Medicare and general practice. Tuesday's ACT budget will include measures to boost frontline services too, such as payroll tax changes that incentivise bulk billing, intended to take pressure off hospitals. In exchange for a better funding deal, the territory government could help its federal counterpart control the spiralling cost of the NDIS by providing more foundational supports for young males, who are signing up to the scheme at a rate of more than one in 10. "But we also need the Commonwealth to recognise that beyond the NDIS pressures, the major pressure that governments face in this country is about pressure on our acute hospital systems, and that is something that has to be addressed," Mr Steel says.
West Australian
11 hours ago
- West Australian
Opposition alliance parties only going to get closer says Zempilas following all or nothing Love comments
Basil Zempilas has denied the Opposition Alliance is close to splitting up despite comments by his Nationals counterpart Shane Love that the junior partner would break the agreement if it was not formalised. Speaking to media on Sunday, Mr Zempilas said he was surprised to see Mr Love's comments and thought the two parties were working well together. 'I'm not disappointed, but I was surprised only because the sense that perhaps was portrayed does not match the reality,' he said. 'The absolute sense is that from those inside both teams and those who have been observing the early weeks of this new parliament, we are working very well together as a cohesive, high-functioning, united Opposition Alliance.' The comments come after The Sunday Times reported comments from Mr Love saying the two parties should go it alone if a formal Coalition agreement could not be met. 'To be anything in the middle (of being fully separate or in a formal Coalition) has really not proven successful,' Mr Love said. 'For me, we either have an agreement where we are definitely working together, or we be separate.' The traditional Coalition partners have had a tense relationship in recent times. In late 2024, leading up to March's State election, the alliance was on the brink after Mr Love pledged not to form a Coalition government with the Liberals unless they agreed to rewrite Labor's firearm law reform. Mr Zempilas said he believed the two parties were stronger together but that a formal Coalition agreement took time to develop. 'I've got a very good vantage point, I'm well aware of how well we're working together, I'm very aware of how good the relationship between Shane Love as leader of the Nationals and my own relationship as leader of the Liberal Party is,' he said. 'We're working very, very well together. My sense is that we are nowhere near a walking away, in fact if anything, we are only going to get stronger and come closer together.' Mr Love clarified his comments on Sunday in a statement, saying if the parties were to win the 2029 State Election, they needed to do it together. 'The current Opposition alliance is functioning well, our parliamentary relationship is focused, co-operative, and firmly united in holding the Cook Labor Government to account,' he said. 'The Nationals WA recognise the pressing need for a longer-term Opposition agreement that provides clarity, stability, and strategic direction beyond the current short-term Alliance. 'While we await the Liberal Party's return to the negotiating table, the Opposition parliamentary teams will continue to work together effectively.' Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti slammed the disunity of the opposition. 'The Nationals and Liberal Party have been a mess for many, many years so this is of no surprise,' she said. 'My analysis is it's like watching an episode of The Big Brother house and they keep going into the diary room to complain about each other.'
