Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

And the mighty Kurri Kurri Bulldogs—I'll take that interjection from the member of Calare. Go the doggies!

Of course, the people who live in Kurri now have a great sense of community but they're really worried about their health. These changes mean that doctors in Kurri, and in Paterson more generally, face a 34 per cent cut in the financial incentive to bulk-bill. Countless practices and doctors have been really good. They've been ringing me saying: 'Come and have a meeting with us. We really need you to understand this problem.' Countless local practices have told me that they've been forced to stop bulk-billing patients because of the cuts, while others have warned that these changes will render them unviable altogether. I even know of a development application for a new bulk-billing medical practice that has been withdrawn because they know they can't afford to open it. In a regional area, that is scandalous.

A 34 per cent cut might not sound like a lot, but the math is astounding. There are medical centres in my community that bulk-bill around eight people an hour across several doctors, and they're running at capacity. In just a five-day week, operating from 8 am to 6 pm, they will lose $1,300 per week. That amounts to $67,000 a year. That's the equivalent of about two staff wages for administration. They're thinking of having to stop bulk-billing or potentially having to cut people's jobs. There are those two casual staff that add up to $67,000, so the choice of the practice owner is, 'Do I let my staff go, or do I stop bulk-billing?' What sort of a choice is that in a small community town?

Since January this year, I've heard from literally thousands of people in my community who have been or will be affected by these cuts. They're single-parent families, people with children, pensioners, concession card holders—the list goes on. These are the people who had to save up, in some cases, to get medical attention. Price should never prevent Australians from seeking medical attention, not in Australia in 2020.

These changes to bulk-billing do not make sense to me or my community. But don't just take it from me. I have set up an online petition. Thousands of people have signed it and hundreds have made comments and shared it. Check out my Facebook page for more details.

See this speech in context