Unions protest

Unions in Queensland, particularly the Public Service Unions, are protesting that the new LNP/Newman State Government is cooking the books in saying that things are as bad as they are as far as the Queensland Government's finances are concerned.

Funny, not a peep out of the unions when the ALP was running the state into the ground.

Rudd's going save the hospitals

Rudd's amazing hospital rescue plan... because the ALP state governments are useless.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Doctor Blewett says he's long argued for a single hospital funding pool and the payment to hospitals on a per patient basis.

NEAL BLEWETT: It removes what is one of the great weaknesses of the system. That is the buck passing between the states and the Commonwealth.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: It's very close, of course, this announcement to the next election, what are the chances that we'll see any tangible changes before we actually go to the polls?

it's gonna cost us... surprise, surprise...

TONY EASTLEY: Crucial to the Prime Minister's health reform is funding and there are reports this morning his scheme involves the states and territories surrendering a slice of their current GST revenue.

Already he's admitted he's gearing up for a fight and he may ''cop a bit of stick'' for his health reform agenda.

He's certainly kept the details close to his chest. The states and territories haven't been briefed and federal Cabinet is meeting in Canberra this morning to sign off on the blueprint.

and Joe Hockey points out...

JOE HOCKEY: Well the first question that needs to be asked today is where is Kevin Rudd getting the money from? He's running deficit budgets, which are putting upward pressure on interest rates.

He's got a huge tax review in the form of Henry coming and obviously he's got to service his debt. So where is this magic pool of money that Kevin Rudd says is a great substitute for the black hole in the health system? Where's it coming from?

Did I hear a figure today of $8B? Joe's right. Where is this coming from? *

All Anna Bligh can say about it is that the money from Queensland should stay in Queensland... it'll be interesting if Queensland needs more money than is raised from Queensland...

*Update
Okay, Rudd's going to strip the states of $50B to fund the hospitals. After the batt and school hall debacles how are the hospitals going to be?