Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes—cut, cut, cut, cut. As much as I hate to stand up in this place and say this, this government does not—and I emphasise 'does not'—support universal health care. It has an ideological commitment to the privatisation of health. It wants to see a health system that is the same as the American health system, a system where those people that can afford to pay get the absolute best health care that they can possibly have, whilst those people who do not have as much money, do not have as many resources, go without. The sick and the poor get sicker. That is a disgrace. It is a disgrace when you have a government that wants to make Australians provide for their own health by paying for it with their credit card, not with their Medicare card.

This week we have seen the Minister for Health sink to a new low, with the private health insurance survey. It is nothing but push polling and an attempt to end community rating and instate risk rating. Shortland electorate is an older electorate, with lots of older Australians. I see the shadow minister for ageing here, and he understands the issues that are confronting older Australians. They are constantly under pressure, and of course we have got the GST lurking in the background—will it be applied to aged care; will it be applied to health? The government will not rule it out. We have problems with aged care. It has been such a failure. They have removed the dementia funding—all gone.

I will get back to this dreadful health survey. It looks at whether older Australians should have to pay more. I can tell you that the people in Shortland electorate are not wealthy, but they have had health insurance all their lives. For them to be hit with an increase is unacceptable. Talking about obesity, I had a constituent contact me this week saying, 'Obesity is not a lifestyle choice.' He called that attitude disgusting and dangerous. The AMA President, Brian Owler, condemns this government for this survey and the actions it is taking—many actions. And the National Seniors are disgusted with it. The one thing I have to say is that this government does not understand health. It does not get health. It does not get aged care. It does not understand how important it is and that it is a role of government to deliver it.

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