INVESTING IN COUNTRY HEALTH TACKLING THE MAINTENANCE BACKLOG

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Charlotte Flowers
5 years ago
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2 2036 WILL MARK OUR STATE S BICENTENARY By the time our State turns 200 years old, I want South Australia to be a place of prosperity. Planning and delivering on my vision for a better future starts now. This policy is just part of our plan to deliver a clear and responsible pathway to recovery and success. See where it fits in below 1.0 Growing our Economy 2.0 The Best Education System 3.0 BEING A HEALTHY STATE 3.1 Protecting your health 3.4 Making health care accessible across the city and across the State 3.5 Decentralising the control of health services 4.0 Strengthening Communities 5.0 BUILDING OUR STATE 6.0 Ensuring Safety and Justice 7.0 Protecting our Environment 8.0 Embracing our Unique Culture 9.0 Running an Efficient and STABLE Government

3 Labor has neglected country hospitals, creating a massive maintenance backlog.

4 The Problem Over the past 10 years, Labor has neglected country hospitals, creating a maintenance backlog reported to be in the order of $150 million. Country South Australians are just as entitled to taxpayer-funded investment in their hospitals and health services as their metropolitan counterparts. But for too long, the Weatherill Government s metrocentric mindset has undermined patient care as it has run many country hospitals into the ground. Over the past 10 years, Labor has neglected country hospitals, creating a maintenance backlog of reported to be in the order of $150 million. In the State budget, the $1.1 billion health spend did not allocate a single dollar for capital investment in country hospitals and health services.

5 The State Liberals Plan A Liberal Government will respect the valuable role of community raised and generated funds and allow them to resource buildings, equipment and research in regional areas. If elected in March 2018, a Marshall Liberal Government will fix the backlog in country capital works by: ensuring that all money raised in local communities is spent in those communities acting with urgency to address high risk repairs and maintenance at country hospitals implementing a country capital works renewal strategy to address the maintenance backlog and plan positively for future development developing arrangements to retain part of the private patient income in local hospitals for the benefit of local services. These commitments will return millions of dollars to country communities to fix Labor s mess. Health Advisory Councils will be empowered to control their trust funds. This will ensure locally generated funds meet local needs, protecting private donations and enabling local management of bequests. A Liberal Government will respect the valuable role of community raised and generated funds and allow them to resource buildings, equipment and research in regional areas. We understand that such philanthropic support only happens when individuals and communities are confident the use of funds reflects local priorities. We will undertake a review to identify how Labor has used these funds to evade providing government funding. A robust management framework will ensure that, in the future, the funds are used only for agreed strategic priorities, risk assessed capital priorities and ethically approved research which comply with government policies and procedures. In cases where capital spending from non- Government funds requires approval (such as when it draws in recurrent government funding) regional health boards will be responsible for granting approval, not the Minister or central office. Health Advisory Councils will be required to report fully on their activities, so local communities can see their funds at work.

6 We will ensure funding generated in local country communities to support health services is used locally. Steven Marshall, State Liberal Leader

7 If you would like to provide feedback on our policy or learn more about our plan, please get in touch via: The Office of Steven Marshall MP Parliament House - North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000 Phone: steven@stevenmarshall.com.au Web:

8 marshall2036.com.au

GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING STRICTER CONTROLS ON SPENDING

GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING STRICTER CONTROLS ON SPENDING 2036 WILL MARK OUR STATE S BICENTENARY By the time our State turns 200 years old, I want South Australia to be a place of prosperity. Planning and delivering on my vision for a better future starts now.