Australian PM announces billion-dollar boost for hospitals

Canberra

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed a billion-dollar funding boost to reduce waiting times at the country’s public hospitals. In a joint announcement with Health Minister Mark Butler, Albanese revealed that the federal government has reached an agreement with all eight states and territories to increase funding for public healthcare in 2025-26.

The deal will see the federal government raise its contribution to public hospitals and health services by 1.7 billion Australian dollars (1.06 billion USD), bringing the total to 33.91 billion AUD (21.19 billion USD), marking a 12% increase.

“This decision will help save lives and lead to better outcomes for our nation’s hospitals,” Albanese said, explaining that the additional funds would help cut waiting lists, reduce emergency department wait times, and address delays in transferring patients from ambulances to hospital beds.

Over 1.2 billion AUD (749.9 million USD) of the new funding will be directed to hospitals in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, which together make up more than 75% of Australia’s population.

The funding agreement is a one-year rollover due to the timing of the upcoming general election, which must be held by May. The current funding deal is set to expire at the end of the financial year on June 30. Albanese's government, seeking a second term in power, aims to strengthen Australia’s healthcare system and improve public services.