The National Council has a busy remaining program to complete at the end of the year by Friday. The highlight on Wednesday was the adoption of the health care reform. The debate regarding this sounded a lot like an election campaign.
It started with a motion from the SPÖ, which demanded the legal right to a specialist appointment within 14 days. A request that was also controversial within the opposition. For Neos health spokeswoman Fiona Fiedler (Neos), a guarantee is useless if the specialist doesn’t have any appointments. Her FP colleague Gerhard Kaniak rejected the idea as expensive and bureaucratic.
Kaniak found even harsher words (“a dig in the toilet”) for the health care reform presented by Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) and Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (VP). SP club boss Philip Kucher complained that the billion in patients promised by the previous black-blue government in the health insurance reform still does not exist.
Image: APA/EVA MANHART
The coalition members, on the other hand, saw something historic having been achieved. The deal with the states and social security will bring 14 billion euros into the system for health and care over the next five years. The aim is to create hundreds of new cash registers, finance structural reforms in hospitals and improve digital offerings. When setting up the position plan, the medical association loses its right of veto.
In care, the annual fund will be doubled to 1.1 billion euros. A large part should flow into salary increases and training for nursing staff. Rauch saw a total of 80 percent of his goals achieved, which is “still 100 percent more than previous ministers achieved.”
The zero wage round for top politicians was subsequently met with broader approval and was only rejected by the FPÖ. Accordingly, in 2024 the salaries of the Federal President, the members of the government, the Presidents of the National Council, the club chairmen, the President of the Court of Auditors and the Ombudsmen will not be increased. Representatives of the National Council and the Federal Council receive half the inflation adjustment of 4.85 percent.
Image: APA/EVA MANHART
FP boss Herbert Kickl called for the zero wage round to be extended to the top levels of state politics. Kickl explained that his party colleagues in the black-blue governed states of Salzburg, Lower Austria and Upper Austria also spoke out once morest this waiver: “We are the smaller partner in all three governments” and “the ÖVP might not be moved”.
Remaining program
The resolution of the financial equalization, which is valid until 2028, including a future fund, is at the top of the list today. The reform of the tax deductibility of donations is also fixed. Friday brings an amendment to the prohibition law at the end of the year. Parenthood reform gives same-sex partners more rights. It was unclear until recently whether a ban on gas heating in new buildings would receive the necessary two-thirds majority.
