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

I am just very surprised that members opposite do not want to hear the good news about Medicare, thanks to the policies of this government. They have always claimed to be the party of Medicare, and what they object to is the fact that this government has done more for Medicare than any other government in Australia’s history. We will keep talking about our achievements with Medicare, because we believe in it and we have done the right thing by it. Not only have bulk-billing rates gone up but also primary health care is improving. Almost one million Australians now have GP management plans, thanks to the policies of this government. Almost a quarter of a million Australians in the last 12 months have enjoyed allied health professional care, thanks to the policies of this government. Almost $1 billion in new money is being spent on medical research, thanks to the policies of this government. And look at him: he yawns and he leans back. These things matter to the Australian people because today’s research is tomorrow’s new medicines and tomorrow’s new medical treatment—and these things are important. And we will keep talking about them.

I have been asked about alternative policies, and I regret to inform the House that, since 3 May, Labor has officially been a health-policy-free zone. That was the day when the Leader of the Opposition finally abolished the member for Lalor’s pet policy of Medicare Gold. Let me say it takes a lot of guts for Mr Twenty-Five Per Cent to scrap the policy of Madam Thirty-One Per Cent; nevertheless, he has finally done it—

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