THE RUDD GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO COME CLEAN ON FUNDING
The Member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock MP said today that the Rudd Government seems to think the answer to the health problems in this country can be solved by setting up taskforces.
“The new taskforce on preventative health will not report until June 2009. My constituents need to know now what measures the Government will take to ensure current programs continue,” Mr Ruddock said.
“When we were in government the Coalition Government allocated $147.7 million over 4 years to the Healthy and Active Australia program to tackle obesity.”
The National Tobacco Strategy, which runs from 2004 till 2009, includes $4.3 million over 3 years to stop women smoking during pregnancy, and we also put $25 million over 4 years into the a National Tobacco Campaign focussing on young people.
Constituents need to know what will happen to these and other Coalition programs.
“If the taskforce does not report until June 2009 that will mean two federal budgets will pass without the Rudd Government using the report to allocate funding,” Philip Ruddock said.
“The Government needs to do more than simply set up yet another taskforce if it is serious about dealing with the health issues facing the country.”