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

I know that members opposite do not like being reminded of the fact that former Prime Minister Bob Hawke brought in a co-payment and the current shadow minister for families supported a co-payment, and the Labor shadow Treasurer down there supports a co-payment. But let us just repeat what the member for Fraser thinks:

… there’s a better way of operating a health system, and the change should hardly hurt at all … the ideal model involves a small co-payment—not enough to put a dent in your weekly budget, but enough to make you think twice before you call the doc. And the idea is hardly radical.

So I say to the member who asked the question: your argument is not with me; your argument is with your own Assistant Treasurer. You persuade the Shadow Assistant Treasurer that a co-payment is a bad idea, and then I will start to listen to you.

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