Bullying talks on way

But COAG can’t agree hospital funding deal as PM stands firm

A NATIONAL summit on the “scourge” of cyber-bullying looks set to be held by Australia’s state and federal leaders later this year.

But a standoff over public hospital funding between the state and Commonwealth governments will continue after only NSW and Western Australia signed up to a new deal on federal funding at yesterday’s Council of Australian Governments in Canberra.

State and federal leaders all agreed further action needed to be taken on cyber-bullying after COAG, with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealing a national summit on the issue was likely to be held later this year.

It comes after the death of Amy “Dolly” Everett, who took her life after being bullied online.

But the governments were divided on public hospital funding, as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull attempted to secure support for the federal government’s new five-year deal which would add $31 billion to hospital funding from 2021 to 2025.

Mr Turnbull yesterday ruled out boosting the government’s current offer but South Australia, Queensland and Victoria have yet to sign up.

Ms Palaszczuk indicated her state would sign up if the federal government stumped up the more than $170 million the state was owed in overdue public hospital funding.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews also indicated his state would sign up if further discussions on how federal money was allocated took place, particularly on aged care and chronic disease needs.

But South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill refused to budge unless the federal government agreed to fund public hospitals at a rate of 50 per cent.

Under the current offer, Canberra will continue to pay 45 per cent of hospital funding but will keep annual growth in federal spending capped at 6.5 per cent. How that could work as costs rise is not clear.

Asked ahead of the COAG meeting in Parliament House whether the federal government would put more money on the table, Mr Turnbull said: “No”.