ACCUSATIONS the federal government had used "dodgy" figures to calculate Victoria's health funding strikes at the integrity of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, says former prime minister Kevin Rudd.
Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu has previously accused Canberra of using "dodgy" population figures to slash $475 million from the state's health budget over four years, including $107 million this financial year.
Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek on Wednesday night announced a backdown, reinstating the $107 million in funding for Victorian hospitals.
Mr Rudd said the ABS was not a government department that does the minister's bidding, but independently calculates data.
"For him to suggest the ABS is producing dodgy figures is a direct accusation concerning the integrity of the Australian Bureau of Statistics," Mr Rudd told Fairfax Radio on Thursday.
Mr Rudd said Mr Baillieu had signed up to an agreement in 2011 setting out the formula for calculating funding.
"He signed up to that. That is the formula," Mr Rudd said.
"He has sought to blame his own cuts to elective surgery on a Commonwealth adjustment."
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