Fed: Council of Australian Governments' Meeting outcomes

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2007
Fed: Council of Australian Governments' Meeting outcomes:

Council of Australian Governments' meeting outcomes:



* COAG agreed to establish seven working groups, chaired by federal ministers, in the
following target areas:

- Health and ageing.

- Productivity, including education, skills, training and early childhood.

- Climate change and water.

- Infrastructure.

- Business regulation and competition.

- Housing.

- Indigenous reform.



* Health - $150 million to cut elective surgery waiting lists by 25,000 people.

* Education - National Secondary School Computer Fund to be accelerated.

* Indigenous - Extra $50 million for indigenous drug and alcohol rehabilitation and
treatment. A commitment to close the 17 year indigenous life expectancy gap and halve
the gaps in indigenous child mortality, and reading, writing and numeracy.

* Funding - Special Purpose Payments (SPPs) reform to deliver incentive-based funding
to the states.

* Economy - Reform program to increase economic capacity and address inflation.

* COAG - state and territory leaders agreed to meet four times in 2008.

AAP cmb/pmu/cjh/mn

KEYWORD: COAG FACTBOX

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.