Roxon meets Grylls, miffs Barnett

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has denied trying to get West Australian
Nationals Leader Brendon Grylls to lobby Premier Colin Barnett to sign up to a
national hospitals plan.
Ms Roxon is on a two-day visit to Perth to promote health reform and on Tuesday met
with Mr Grylls, WA's regional development minister, to discuss health issues.
She did not arrange to meet Mr Barnett who has refused to hand over 30 per cent of
WA's GST and take his Liberal/National government into the federal government's
national hospitals plan.
Mr Barnett told reporters on Tuesday he found it "odd" that Ms Roxon was meeting
with Mr Grylls.
When asked at a press conference if she was trying to get Mr Grylls to lobby Mr
Barnett to come on board with the national hospitals plan, Ms Roxon denied doing so.
She said she and Mr Grylls had a common interest in the provision of health care in
rural and regional areas and that would be the focus of discussions, including
investment and attracting health staff.
"I think it's in no way extraordinary for me to be meeting with Minister Grylls.
"I look forward to having a discussion about our shared interests," Ms Roxon said.
"Of course if there are any suggestions for ways that an impasse might be broken
between his government and mine, I would be delighted to hear those suggestions."
Ms Roxon said the federal government believed West Australian patients deserved the
same level of care and investment as others across the country and the reforms would
deliver that.
"We're keen to talk to the West Australian government to see if there is a way to
break this stand-off.
"They are missing out at this stage in investments that are really to the value of
around $2 billion just over this coming decade."
Ms Roxon said $350 million of that was ready to be spent now if WA signed up to the
agreement which would see the federal government take on the greater burden of
funding hospitals nationally.
Mr Barnett has said he does not oppose the health reforms but opposed handing over
30 per cent of his state's GST to support it, although he was prepared to commit a
similar amount to a fund for the same purpose.
But Ms Roxon said that option was not ideal.
"It's absolutely not our preference and we have another seven states and territories
who have agreed to a different arrangement."
Ms Roxon said both sides would have to consider other options to break the impasse
and she would be meeting WA's Health Minister Kim Hames next week to further the
matter.



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