Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the amendments be agreed to.

I foreshadow that the statement I make now will also relate to the order of the day to follow this one. These bills have been returned from the Senate with government amendments and an opposition amendment. Although numerous amendments are largely technical and a very good package of reform has been made even better by these amendments, they have taken into account the views of industry, health care consumers and providers. What is contained in this amended bill will work better than as first introduced. It will be more effective and, most importantly, will give health fund members the opportunity to have access to a range of new health insurance cover and an ability to choose it.

These reforms are the biggest changes to private health cover not only since the introduction of Medicare but in generations. They bring private health cover into the 21st century, a time when going to hospital is far from the only way to deal with major medical and health problems. They promote more diversity in the private health insurance market, including new entrants to the industry. They encourage product and care innovation, and they encourage competition between insurers based on service quality as well as price. All in all, these reforms will help sustain the private health sector into the future, without which Medicare and public hospital systems would collapse under the strain of current and future demand. I commend the bill as amended to the House. On behalf of the government, I acknowledge the opposition’s general support of our vision as set out in this legislation.

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