The Albanese government has offered to delay the start of a new program for early intervention autism services and provide budget top-ups for smaller states, part of efforts to secure an overdue deal on hospitals and disability funding.
Premiers and chief ministers look likely to agree to the deal at Friday’s meeting of national cabinet in Sydney, after Anthony Albanese and the health minister, Mark Butler, offered to push back the start of the new $2bn Thriving Kids scheme to October.
