IPAN Patrons: Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe AO & Kellie Tranter Lawyer, Human Rights Activist
Media Release 19th November, 2025
The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) joins the chorus of outrage from the State and Territory Governments in response to the news that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote to state and territory leaders in September saying they must slash growth in hospital spending if they want a public hospital funding commitment implemented.
“At the same time the Federal Government has called for states and territories to curb hospital spending, it continues in its extravagant and unwise commitment to spend $375 billion on the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, which may not even eventuate, stated Dr Margaret Beavis Vice President Medical Association for Prevention of War
Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls in response the PM’s letter asked, ‘Does he want us to go out there and close the front door to our emergency departments or stop taking ambulances delivering sick patients to our emergency wards?’.[i]
. [ii]
‘The Australian healthcare system is facing a multifaceted crisis that requires urgent attention and reform to ensure the delivery of essential healthcare services to all Australians’, said Dr Beavis, ‘with only three of 201 hospitals delivering care within the recommended time frame’.
“Rather than reining in hospital spending, how about we actually properly review the ill-conceived and reckless spend on AUKUS?”, asked Dr Beavis. “No review of alternative options has ever been done. “National security” is so much more than weaponry. We need to get our national priorities right.”
“The vast $375 billion budget means less money for urgent hospital care and other critical social needs”, she said.
‘A growing population that is aging, sicker will need more spent on health not less’, said Dr Beavis.
The federal budget is not a magic pudding. We urgently need an independent review of the unrealistic and wasteful AUKUS scheme, rather than further stripping of the health care system.” said Dr Beavis.
ENDS
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Media Interviews: Dr Margaret Beavis : Ph 0401995 699
Media Liaison: Jonathan Pilbrow M: 0403 611 815
Bio: Dr Margaret Beavis OAM is a former GP who teaches at Melbourne University. She is Vice President of the Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW), board member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Australia, and co-convenor of Quit Nukes, an initiative, working to achieve nuclear weapons free finance in the superannuation and other industries. She is interested in public health and nuclear issues and lectured in the Melbourne University Master of Public Health course.
[i] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-17/anthony-albanese-tells-states-to-rein-in-hospital-spending/106017654
[ii] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-18/public-hospital-wastage-grattan-institute-report/106019006