Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The honourable member for North Sydney obviously does not like an answer which goes to what we are doing for public hospitals and the public healthcare system in Australia. That is of direct relevance to seniors, as is the ability of seniors to access appropriate dental care. That is why we have re-established the Commonwealth Dental Health Program.

On the question of this Medicare levy surcharge, as I said, if we left it at the $50,000 threshold, rather than capturing the top eight per cent of income earners, as it did in 1997, by 2010 it would capture the top 45 per cent of income earners. Those opposite are arguing presumably that these represent top income earners in Australia. That is how radically out of touch they have become. Our new threshold of $100,000 for singles and $150,000 for couples will return the figure to around eight per cent by 2010. That was the threshold that you used back in 1997. You left it in place for 12 years. It delivers a financial penalty to many, many Australians and, as a consequence, we are acting. So I would say again to—

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