Dr. Katharine Bassett, director of health policy at CHA, linked private hospital capacity to the wider health system. “Hospital sustainability is not a private sector issue, but rather a national health system issue. If private hospitals weaken, public hospitals feel it immediately. Waiting lists grow, access tightens, and communities lose services. At the centre of this debate are patients. These reforms are about ensuring Australians can access timely surgery and quality care, regardless of whether they enter the system through a public or private hospital, Nurses deserve fair wages, and hospitals must remain viable employers. But wage decisions made in one part of the system ripple across the entire sector. A transitional Commonwealth contribution recognises that reality and protects both workforce stability and patient access,” Bassett said. She added that “a legislated 90% benefit payout ratio combined with a Mandatory Code of Conduct, as well as targeted wage support, would stabilise funding settings, improve transparency, and protect patient access to timely care.”