![ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr in Canberra. Picture: Karleen Minney ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr in Canberra. Picture: Karleen Minney](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/DaHt57RjVSvtvCBUgFzTWj/cc7e9937-9f30-4f11-a192-89171a4175e4.jpg/r507_1225_5196_3712_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The ACT Chief Minister has offered veiled criticism of the relationship between the previous government and states and territories ahead of Friday's much-anticipated national cabinet meeting.
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The meeting will address issues raised during the election campaign but also look at current problems as the country faces a pressing energy crisis.
Andrew Barr stopped short of repeating his consistent criticism of the Morrison government's relationship with the territory, instead saying a national cabinet under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would "reset the working relationship" between the federal and state and territory governments.
"This first national cabinet under Prime Minister Albanese will be an opportunity to reset the working relationship between the commonwealth and the states and territories," he said.
"There are many significant challenges inherited from the previous government that will require a joint effort from all of us to resolve.
"Based on what I know, and what I've seen so far, the Prime Minister will bring a very different approach to this important working relationship. I am looking forward to a respectful and considered set of meetings over the coming 24 hours."
The Prime Minister will face demands from state and territory leaders for a $5 billion funding increase for health, via an extension of a current 50/50 pandemic cost partnership, as he navigates his first national cabinet meeting.
The Australian Medical Association is pushing for the Albanese government to extend the partnership until 2025, saying the hospital system is in crisis.
President Dr Omar Khorshid urged the Prime Minister to use the cabinet meeting to act on the issue.
"We are at a crisis point in healthcare and there's a critical opportunity in the next couple of days for Australia's leaders to draw a line in the sand and to seize the opportunity to once and for all fix our health system," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
"The hospital system is in crisis, that is acknowledged by all state and territory leaders, and the national cabinet meeting on Friday is the opportunity where we can see governments start to work together to resolve this situation."
Mr Barr is pushing for the agreement to be extended until the end of the new financial year. Beyond that agreement, he wants the federal government to lift their contribution to health year on year.
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Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Albanese didn't reveal if he would extend the funding partnership, saying he looked forward to "constructive" discussions with premiers and chief ministers.
"We do inherit not just a decade of denial and delay when it comes to climate change, we inherit a trillion dollars of debt with not much to show for it from the former government. That is the context in which we will consider discussions going forward," he said.
The Prime Minister has also flagged his intention to involve local government in national cabinet and will discuss reform to boost productivity and grow the economy.
"As we emerge from the pandemic, we need to look at how we grow the economy stronger," he said.
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