Australia live news: national cabinet to tackle healthcare funding; $3.4bn for ‘disruptive’ defence tech

After-hours healthcare is likely to top the agenda in Queensland as Richard Marles earmarks money for ‘game-changing’ research

Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

The national cabinet will meet in Brisbane today to discuss health, the national disability insurance scheme, better planning for migration, and the Voice referendum

While the states are expected to once again lobby for 50-50 hospital funding, the federal government has announced ahead of the meeting that that will improve access to after-hours care as part of its response to the strengthening Medicare taskforce report.

After nine years of cuts and neglect, Medicare is in its worst shape in 40 years. The former government froze the Medicare rebate for six years, ripping billions of dollars out of primary care and causing gap fees to skyrocket.

We said at the election that there was no higher priority for Labor in the health portfolio than strengthening Medicare and rebuilding general practice.”