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

That is what Frances Sullivan of Catholic Health believes when he says that Medibank Private should not stay in government ownership, that is what Mark Fitzgibbon of the NIB health fund believes when he says that privatisation will lower premium pressure, that is what Professor Henry Ergas believes when he says that privatisation could reduce premium pressure by up to six per cent and, in their hearts, that is what members opposite believe. If it were otherwise, why did the former Labor government privatise the Commonwealth Bank and Qantas?

Over the last two days a succession of Labor members have come into this parliament, led by the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Lalor, claiming that the privatisation of Medibank Private means that shareholders win and policyholders lose. What an implicit smear this is, what a shocking smear this is, on every private business in this country. If what members opposite say is true, why did the Kirner Labor government privatise the State Insurance Office in Victoria? I am not surprised that the member for Fremantle—she is in the House; welcome back—did not enter this debate, because when she was the Premier of Western Australia she passed legislation providing for the privatisation—

See this speech in context