Health Minister Mark Butler has stressed the importance of striking a deal on health funding today with the states and territories. Everyone’s in Sydney for the meeting this morning, and they had dinner last night to start those discussions. So we really do need to get a deal done today,” Butler told ABC Radio National. “In a few weeks time, South Australia goes into caretaker mode [before the state election] which means negotiations can’t continue. So I think everyone understands today is critical.”Health Minister Mark Butler has emphasised the importance of national cabinet reaching a deal on health funding.