3 September 2026
Minister for Health Steve Edgington will attend a national health ministers meeting in Sydney later this week.
Private health insurance rebates and aged care beds are among key topics to be discussed at the health ministers meeting.
Over 13,800 older Territorians aged over 65 face private insurance premium increases of up to $255 per year because of Labor’s changes.
Minister for Health Steve Edgington is heading to Sydney to fight for better health outcomes for Territorians at key national meetings this week.
Minister Edgington will attend a national health ministers meeting, where private health insurance rebates and aged care beds are among key topics to be discussed.
Minister Edgington said the federal government was failing senior Territorians with not only few aged care places available, but the Albanese Government is stripping back the private health insurance rebate for Australians aged 65 and over.
“I have written to the Federal Minister Mark Butler, informing him that over 13,800 older Territorians aged over 65 face premium increases of up to $255 per year because of Labor’s changes,” Minister Edgington said.
“The Territory already has the lowest private health insurance coverage nationally and these changes are expected to see many older Territorians cancel their private health insurance, especially those on lower incomes already suffering from federal Labor’s cost of living crisis.
“If people downgrade or drop private health insurance, it puts more demand on NT public hospitals and on our inpatient beds and elective surgery waitlists.
“The Australian Medical Association has similar concerns of the impact of these private health rebate changes on the public system.
“There are already up to 80 aged care patients stuck in hospital beds because there simply aren’t any aged care places available and these changes will add more demand onto the public health system.
“Aged care is the responsibility of the Commonwealth, and the NT has the lowest rate of aged care beds.
“The Finocchiaro CLP Government has boosted base health funding and expanded hospital capacity at Royal Darwin Hospital with new wards coming online to ease bed shortages and improve patient care.
“We are working with the Commonwealth to get cracking on the aged care facility next to Palmerston Regional Hospital, but meanwhile, the Territory is paying $40 million a year on patients who should be in better care in aged care facilities.
“Despite the increase in federal funding under the national health reform agreement, we’re still getting the lowest contribution of any jurisdiction under the federal funding agreement.
“The Commonwealth must properly fund the Territory’s hospitals and pay for their aged care responsibilities,” Minister Edgington said.
The Minister will also attend an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Roundtable that will look at ways to strengthen partnerships with the Aboriginal Health sector and look to agree on a set of priority actions to progress over the next 12 months.
