With the release of the Australian Medical Association’s Hospital Report Card 2017, it is apparent that our public hospitals are in a state of crisis.

Malcolm Turnbull and his Health Minister have time and time again demonstrated contempt for our public health care system, and that attitude has resulted in a clear blow out of emergency department and elective surgery waiting times.

National median waiting times for elective surgery have increased to the highest level since 2001-02, under the current Government.

This report additionally reveals that a mere 67% of emergency department patients were seen within the recommended time frame of 30 minutes in 2015-16.

“We’re now even further below the target, of seeing 80% of emergency department patients within the recommended time frame - set back in 2012-13. The Liberals are quite literally taking us backwards” said Dr Mike Freelander MP.

“Today, I echo the grave concerns of our Shadow Minister, Catherine King MP. This report should serve as a reminder to the Turnbull Government that a failure to properly fund our public hospitals is unacceptable.”

These statistics are revealed at a time when the Turnbull Government’s health expenditure continues to decrease as a percentage of the total Commonwealth Budget.

“Our nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals do an incredible job with continuously limited resources provided under Malcolm Turnbull. Its time this Liberal Government ceased its attack on our health care system, and provided our hospitals and staff with the funding that they require.”