Victoria, WA slam Rudd`s hospital plan

Victoria and Western Australia have continued their assault against the Rudd
government's $50 billion hospitals plan, delivering a punch that's left the prime
minister bruised.
Victorian Premier John Brumby has written to Kevin Rudd calling for 10 areas of
concern to be addressed, while WA Treasurer Troy Buswell left a high-level meeting
in Canberra on Friday declaring "no progress" had been made.
Federal Labor wants to seize 30 per cent of the states' GST receipts to directly
fund 150 hospital networks across the country.
In exchange, the commonwealth will fund 60 per cent of recurrent costs, up from
today's 40 per cent contribution.
But on Friday, Mr Buswell insisted WA remained unconvinced the plan was anything
other than a cash grab.
"We still have some fundamental concerns with the model the commonwealth has
proposed ... and the way they intend to access GST," the WA treasurer said after
meeting his federal and state counterparts.
"From my point of view, in relation to the key issues, there was no progress made
today."
The commonwealth had pledged more money in the future but its plan delivered no
extra cash in the short term, the country's only Liberal treasurer said.
"It's really just moving existing funding around.
"We're a long way from agreement."
WA had been ripped off when it came to GST distribution in the past "and we
certainly don't want to be ripped off in terms of health reform", Mr Buswell said.
Mr Brumby's letter to Mr Rudd - sent on Thursday - makes similar points.
"The commonwealth is proposing to pay up to 60 per cent of the cost of hospital care
in the future, using Victoria's GST money not its own," the Victorian premier
states.
"What is in this proposal for Victorian patients?"
Mr Brumby also queries who would be in charge of infrastructure spending and asked
"who will hold (overall) policy responsibility".
The Victorian premier wants more detail on federal Labor's preventative health plan
and its primary and aged care policies.
Asked about Mr Brumby's demands on Friday morning, Mr Rudd said he hadn't received
the letter.
"I haven't got John's letter yet, but I'm sure it's in the mail," the PM told
talkback radio.
"I'm sure it's in the in-tray somewhere."
Mr Rudd argued Victoria was already receiving an extra $5.1 billion under his
government's latest health care agreement.
The commonwealth would take on an additional $4 billion of Victoria's future growth
costs if the states signed up to his reform plan at next month's COAG leaders'
meeting.
Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan was keen to talk up Friday's meeting after the event -
despite what Mr Buswell had to say.
"I thought it was a productive and constructive meeting," Mr Swan told reporters.
"We had a good discussion about all of the detail - the nitty gritty if you like."
Mr Swan was backed by most of the other treasurers.
Queensland's Andrew Fraser even called on Victoria and WA to fall into line.
"I think there's every capacity to get agreement here," the state treasurer told
reporters.
"This is best for the nation. All states and territories should get on board with it."