Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Manufacturing) Share this | Hansard source

Absolutely. The member for Blair was there. We had a forum, and I can assure members opposite that their concerns are real and they can do their sums and they know what is happening to them. When the minister says that the changes that are being made by this government are all for the better, can I say to her: if that is the case, why is the government under so much pressure and criticism from just about every medical sector out there in the community? The fact remains that the changes that this government wants to introduce, including the changes to do with the private insurance scheme whereby your health will determine the costs you pay, are simply not going to be worn by the Australian people. You cannot improve a health system by cutting costs, and cutting government expenditure on health care can only lead to increased costs to the public and to older Australians.

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