Mike Freelander (Macarthur, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would really like to say one thing before I commence on this matter of public importance, and that is that I am utterly ashamed at the way the minister has attempted to politicise the PBS. The PBS, since its inception in the 1940s, has had bipartisan support, and the attempt to politicise it is shocking. It is completely wrong. The minister and those opposite, if they attempt to politicise it, which is what they're doing, do not understand the basis of how the PBS and the PBAC work, and it is just shameful what this minister has attempted to do.

I will say something else that has relation to this matter of public importance, and that's not about the health care provided to Australians. It's about the health care provided to our near neighbours. It is shocking the way this government has cut our foreign aid budget. Evidence of this can be seen in the really horrible outbreak of polio in Papua New Guinea. I would urge this government, through the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to urgently increase our aid budget looking at health care in our northern neighbours.

The government clearly has no understanding of public health policy, and it is in their DNA to slash this crucial portfolio. Time and again they've demonstrated their ignorance about health policy, and it's quite clear to me from their other policies around housing, education and social supports that they have a very poor understanding of the social determinants of health. Their response to drug and alcohol problems seems to me one of blame and punishment and really very little fundamental understanding of health as it evolves around addiction.

Regardless of whatever spin those opposite attempt to pull off in this chamber today and in the outside world, you cannot trust a single word they say on health care. They've taken an axe to Medicare and failed to rein in soaring private healthcare insurance costs. The Prime Minister and this government have a very warped agenda for and perception of public health and indeed all social services. When the Liberal National government look at our public hospitals, Medicare and other health services, all they see is a stack of cash to raid and give to their mates. I cannot put this more succinctly: this is a twisted government, content to rip essential funding from our healthcare system only to throw it at big business and their mates. It seems completely paradoxical to me that this government thinks it's fine to give millions of dollars in tax cuts to some of our biggest companies such as Healthscope, Ramsay Health Care, Primary Health Care, Sonic Healthcare, Medibank Private, NIB and many more, yet not fund our public hospitals adequately to provide comprehensive public healthcare measures for chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, et cetera. The profits go to these major companies, and they pay bigger dividends to their shareholders, but those requiring health support are left to wait.

We get longer waiting lists, ballooning gap costs to see specialists for interventional care, and lack of funding for essential best practice services, yet businesses seem to be given a blank cheque. Our public hospitals are clearly in a state of crisis. I've worked in hospitals for decades. I see longer waiting lists in emergency and people unable to access the best care, and I worry about what's going to happen to my children and grandchildren. Only about 60 per cent of urgent individual patients presenting to emergency departments in my state are seen within appropriate time limits. I reiterate: health care in Australia is in a state of crisis. The minister is attempting to politicise many of the issues, particularly the PBS, and there is a lack of understanding of proper public health policy about chronic illness. Australians are furious with the current government over their handling of the healthcare system. The cuts extend all over Australia, particularly in areas of rapid growth, like Caboolture Hospital, which is getting almost $3 million cut by the coalition. In Longman, where I've visited— (Time expired)

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