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

I should point out to the Leader of the Opposition that the Parliamentary Budget Office has found that Medicare expenditure is projected to grow at 6.1 per cent a year. Medicare expenditure is projected to grow at 6.1 per cent a year over the next decade. Ten years ago, we were spending $8 billion a year on Medicare; today, we are spending $20 billion a year on Medicare. That is why it is important to take action and to take action now to make Medicare sustainable for the long term, and that is exactly what this government has done.

We are seeking to have the same modest co-payment for Medicare that members opposite support for the PBS. I say again: if it is right and proper to have a modest co-payment for the PBS, how can it be wrong to have a modest co-payment for Medicare? And, let us face it, former Prime Minister Bob Hawke wanted a co-payment on Medicare to make it sustainable. Labor's Assistant Treasurer wanted a co-payment on Medicare to make it sustainable. Even the member for Jagajaga wanted to see action taken to make Medicare sustainable—

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