Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

It is perfectly fair to have a co-payment for PBS drugs. Members opposite introduced a co-payment for the PBS. They introduced a co-payment for Medicare. If a co-payment for the PBS is perfectly fair enough, why is there something fundamentally wrong with a co-payment for Medicare?

Members opposite do not like me quoting the Labor Assistant Treasurer on one subject. Let me quote him again:

FAR too often ... proponents of social change call for a return to old-style tax and spend policies, large government handouts and government intervention in the economy … Unfortunately, this brand of well-intentioned social and economic Luddism would visit yet more suffering and exclusion on those very people in need of assistance.

Government members interjecting—

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