The Australian    |    2 October 2012 The Coalition states appear unlikely to accept an 11th-hour deal to resolve a shortage in medical intern places, despite the federal government's offer to fund most of the shortfall.  A telephone hook-up of health ministers on 2 October is expected to discuss the commonwealth's proposal to pay $10 million for up to 100 of an estimated 180 new places, so long as the states fund the rest.  But Western Australia says the shortage is an east coast problem, while NSW and Victoria say Canberra should fund all the new places. NSW and Victoria argue that COAG agreements in 2006 and 2008 oblige the commonwealth to pay for training places in private … [Read more...]