Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

It is the very same payment for service that the Labor Party actually advocated for and voted for and legislated in this place when the Labor Party actually had principles—when the Labor Party believed in the things that matter. I think Paul Keating said—absolutely right—in relation to the co-payment on the PBS: 'If we want to maintain the quality of service of the PBS, if we want the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to be sustainable into the future, we need to make contributions now.' I say to the Labor Party and the Australian people: if we want Medicare to deliver all that we expect into the future, we need to make a contribution now. We need to make a contribution now to ensure that the system is sustainable in the future. And why? Because the Labor Party left a legacy of debt and deficit as far as the eye could see. And of course someone has to fix the mess, and we are determined to do it. We will not engage in intergenerational theft when it comes to the treatment of the budget.

Ms Owens interjecting—

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