Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Casey for his question. This government does understand that the best possible health care cannot always come entirely free. No-one likes to see costs to patients rise but just occasionally it is necessary in order to ensure the sustainability of the system. This is why the government very reluctantly increased the PBS copayment so that the patient PBS contribution should be restored to roughly the level applying under the former Labor government. It is very important that ministers should give credit where it is due. I am very pleased to acknowledge that the member for Hotham strongly supported the government’s copayment decision. It was a difficult issue but he strongly supported it and now we have the faceless men of the Victorian Labor Party trying to eliminate the member for Hotham because, on this precise point of the PBS copayment, the member for Hotham fingered the rats in Labor’s ranks. I am quoting from The Latham Diaries on page 301:

A disgraceful Caucus meeting this morning.

Very truthful diaries according to the member for Lalor.

See this speech in context