Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Well, I think I've just about heard everything. We've heard a lot of fake news, we've heard the alt-right and alt-left, and now we've got alt-Medicare. That's what we've dealt with today. We know the government is in chaos and we know there is yet another crisis engulfing this government. But whilst they play the hunger games on that side of the parliament, ripping each other apart, we know that the community has been abandoned by this government when it comes to school funding, abandoned when it comes to standing up for penalty rates, and abandoned when it comes to health and Medicare. What alternative universe, what Orwellian rubbish we've just heard from the member for Berowra. We know, and the people in my electorate of Oxley know, that it was this party, the Labor Party, that built Medicare, and only Labor will protect Medicare.

We got a lecture that we shouldn't go back in time. You need to listen to what former members for Oxley have said, including the great Bill Hayden. It was in the seat of Oxley that the architect of Medicare, Bill Hayden, first developed universal health care for this country, when, during the 1973 second reading speech on the health insurance bill to introduce Medibank—as it was called at the time, before those opposite sold it off—he said it was to provide the 'most equitable and efficient means of providing health insurance coverage for all Australians'. Listen to those words and act: 'for all Australians'—not just for the wealthy, not just for the few, but, as he said, for all Australians.

At every turn, this government has proved they cannot be trusted when it comes to protecting Medicare and the health of Australians. I know this and the whole of Australia knows it. From the secret privatisation task force all the way to extending the Medicare freeze, this government continuously lets down Australians every time it gets the chance. This government is simply not serious when it comes to protecting Medicare. Whilst it might be okay for millionaires living on the North Shore, I ask the Prime Minister and members opposite to spend time in my electorate—

Ms Price interjecting—

Here we have the member for Durack rubbishing the people of my electorate yet again. I ask them to speak to the people who are hurting because of this government's abandonment of its commitment to Medicare. Pensioners living in my electorate in Inala are hurting because of this government, families living in Springfield are hurting because of this government, and parents living in the Centenary Suburbs are hurting because of this government. Every time someone in our community needs to see a GP and every time someone needs to visit a public hospital, they are bearing the brunt of this government's continued harsh and unfair health cuts. That's what happens when a government is focused too much on itself and not on the Australian people.

The government fails the Medicare test by delaying to reverse its unfair cuts to Medicare for three years. The Medicare freeze is still in place for years to come. GP items to manage chronic disease, like asthma and diabetes, are frozen until 2020. GP items to treat pregnant women and women who have recently had a baby are frozen until 2020. Rebates for GPs to conduct pap smears are frozen until 2020. And rebates for GPs to undertake mental health assessments are frozen until 2020. We know the impact that the freeze is having on access to GPs, with bulk-billing for GPs dropping since the election and out-of-pocket costs skyrocketing. But it's not just in the GP waiting room; it also impacts Australians who need specialist care. In the past 12 months, 40 per cent of Australians needed to see a specialist. That's around 7.4 million Australians who need to see a specialist each year. Keeping the freeze in place will continue to impact Australia's sickest and most vulnerable patients.

A couple of years ago, on budget night, we saw the government wanting some sort of congratulations for their supposed Medicare guarantee. This reminds me of all those years ago when we saw then Treasurer Hockey dancing on the night of the election to 'Best Day of My Life', cranking the music up, while he brought the axe through the health services in this country.

This is a government that we know is hamstrung by the extreme Right wing, and cuddling up to One Nation. As we heard from the shadow minister, this is a party and minister who will not condemn One Nation's policy on vaccinations, who will not get up and actually denounce those comments. How can the Australian people seriously take this government at their word when they're in partnership and cuddling up to a party like One Nation? It beggars belief. Let the facts speak for themselves. We know Medicare is still under attack. We know it always will be as long as this government clings to power.

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