1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,520 Speaker 1: The government has announced a funding boosts. Speaking of money 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: for Saint John, it says an agreement has been reached 3 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: between the ambulance service and the unions. So this is 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: going to cost another twenty one million dollars in additional funding, 5 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: and Saint john has confirmed there will be no further 6 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: strike action from its workers, which is good news. The 7 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: Associate Minister of Health as Casey Costello. Hey, Casey, hi 8 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: here the how are you very well? Thank you? So 9 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,639 Speaker 1: has this money basically gone directly into wages? 10 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 2: It sounds like we don't have a direct visibility, but yeah, 11 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 2: this has been the trigger that's allowed the unions and 12 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 2: Hattorney Saint John's to reach an agreement. So we're really 13 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 2: pleased with that. 14 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,519 Speaker 1: So what level of this organization are you now funding? 15 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,319 Speaker 2: So we're at the figures currently at and there's still 16 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 2: a little bit work being done, but it's looking between 17 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 2: eighty four and eighty six percent is now funders. As 18 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 2: you know, we've got a coalition equipment to meet greater 19 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 2: portions of hattwenty Saint John's in your budget. But this 20 00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 2: is going a long way and I think the breakdown 21 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 2: now is I think they have about eight percent of 22 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 2: fundraising three percent of commercial funding, and then we've got 23 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: the part payment funding that comes through as well. 24 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: So when are you guys going to get it to 25 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: the ninety five percent? 26 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 2: This is the negotion that we've got to work through now. 27 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 2: It's and it's a really important piece of work and 28 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 2: we completely understand it and it's working understanding what the 29 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: expectations of had twenty Saint John's around what they want 30 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 2: to achieve around their operation environment and their fundraising and 31 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 2: other commercial ventures. 32 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: So yeah, we will keep full funding. 33 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 2: It's it's kind of this is where I've had different 34 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 2: conversations with its full funding of the operational costs. So 35 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: that's the frontline costing, but then we have the other 36 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: factors around you know, their their capital works and property 37 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 2: development and those sort of things. So we've just got 38 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: to be really clear about what we've missing to around 39 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 2: that funding model. 40 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: Okay, alrighty, And so if you were to go to 41 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: the ninety five percent, which you guys have have agreed 42 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: to in the coalition agreement, then how much more do 43 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: you have to put in? 44 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,959 Speaker 2: Well, this is where we're looking at what the part 45 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 2: payment funding is in the total numbers. So I'm still 46 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 2: waiting to see what that total amount is. Looking at 47 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 2: the others they've got, I think we're currently sitting at 48 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 2: about ninety one percent. I'm not sure whether. 49 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: Those figures are exactly right yet, so we're just going 50 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: to work through that this in Casey, I see this 51 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: tobacco business is still dogging you. Do you know whether 52 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: the AG has been asked to have a look at 53 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: the situation? Is the AGE looking at it yet? 54 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 2: Oh? I don't know. The story basically was the Isa 55 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 2: Beral wrote to the AG, and that's as far as 56 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 2: I know, And I didn't even know she'd written until 57 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 2: media sort of reached out to me asking for an 58 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: opinion on the fact that she'd written. But as I've said, 59 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: I'm welcome if it could put it to bed and 60 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 2: we can actually get back to focusing on getting people 61 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 2: quit smoking and be happy. 62 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: All right. Hey, Caseie, thanks for all us through to 63 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: really appreciate this case Costello, the Associate Minister of Health. 64 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 65 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: news talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 66 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.