More money for hospitals? Tick

A commitment to reducing waiting times for elective surgery, for GPs and for treatment at accident and emergency departments? Tick

Cutting out the middle men (i.e., state government bureaucracy)? Tick

Handing control of hospitals to local experts? Tick

Mr Rudd says the changes will dramatically alter the delivery of health services.

“These changes will end the blame game, eliminate waste and shoulder the burden of funding to meet rapidly rising health costs,” he said.

It all depends on the states signing up and surrendering $50 billion in GST revenue. Some states seem likely to fight the move and Victorian Premier John Brumby has defended the performance of his state.

For others, Mr Rudd’s intervention will seem divine.

NSW Premier Kristina Keneally knows her state’s system is a mess and though she wasn’t committing yesterday, she admitted having “very productive discussions” with the Prime Minister.

State health ministers will grizzle at the sudden dilution of their powers but the premiers must see a bigger picture.

The system is in desperate need of an overhaul.

People are tired of the “blame game” between federal and state governments.

They want reform, not more obstruction. Not an expensive referendum.

It’s hard to see the Opposition standing in the way given its leader Tony Abbott, as health minister in 2006, expressed support for a proposal to save the Albury-Wodonga health merger with direct funding from the Commonwealth.

He’s also been savage in his criticism of state health departments.

Mr Abbott was, however, quick to find an obvious problem for Mr Rudd.

If this Government couldn’t run a home insulation scheme, can we trust them to run our health system?

How the Government will monitor the performance of those local networks is just one of the details that needs to be addressed.

More questions will arise as the plan goes under the microscope.

Mr Rudd has promised much. The words are easy. Delivering won’t be, even if the states come to the party.

But with Australia’s ageing population certain to make health care more complicated and expensive, the time has come for genuine reform.

Mr Rudd, get to work.