Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm very happy to rise and speak on this important motion about health. It's a big issue in my community, an outer suburban region of Melbourne. I had a look at the list of those speaking today. I've spoken quite a bit on these motions on health and I thought that the member for Macarthur, who is a doctor well respected across the aisle, would be speaking on this motion. Normally he would speak on a motion around health, but I noticed he wasn't on the list. I wasn't sure why until I happened to read the paper today and saw his quotes from the weekend criticising the government and their lack of action on health. I don't want to verbal the member, because I respect him greatly, so I'm going to quote exactly what he said:

We need to focus on people's quality of life and issues like housing and health.

… there's been a deteriorating quality of life in the outer suburbs …

Those are direct quotes from the member for Macarthur, who is well respected by everyone in this House, about the lack of action and the lack of focus from this government on health, particularly in the outer suburbs.

We know those opposite will stand up and repeat the talking points that they have been given by the Minister for Health and Aged Care, and I understand that's what they want to do, but I commend the member for Macarthur for saying publicly what we all know many of those opposite are thinking. They know that this government has let down the Australian people when it comes to health, particularly in outer suburbs, like my electorate of Casey. Many people in my community know that they've been let down because, every time they try and get an extra doctor's appointment, they can't.

The facts also support the member for Macarthur's position that this government is failing when it comes to bulk-billing, because bulk-billing rates have dropped every single month since Labor came to government. The latest data reveals that bulk-billing rates are at their lowest since 2013, with residents out of pocket an average of $40.10 for every visit to the GP. Again, with this government, it's not what they say; look at what they do and what the facts are.

This motion talks about tax, which is interesting from a federal Victorian member. I know the member for Hawke will be up next. I'm looking forward to seeing whether he wants to criticise the new Premier, Jacinta Allan, and the state Labor government for their new payroll tax on independent GPs in Victoria. This new tax is estimated to increase the price of your visit to the GP by $40 to $60. That's a tax that the state Labor government are implementing in Victoria, including in my community, and there's not been a word from federal Labor criticising that tax.

That's what we know about this government. They have lots of spin but they won't deliver. They won't mention that they've cut 70 telehealth items from Medicare. Telehealth is crucial to an electorate like mine of Casey. It's 2,500 square kilometres with not one hospital and not one urgent care clinic either. There are no hospitals in this regional, rural, outer-suburban area and not one urgent care clinic. Now they're cutting 70 telehealth items which are crucial to people in my community up in Warburton, Woori Yallock and Healesville when they can't get to see the doctor. They won't talk about those cuts that they're making. Bulk-billing is down.

When they talk about the urgent air clinics, they'll talk about how many they're implementing. In Victoria they'll talk about 10 new clinics. Again, the devil is in the detail. Eight of those 10 clinics already exist and were funded by the state government. They're literally moving the funding from state government to federal government with not one extra place delivered and not one extra GP for the communities that need them. It is all spin from this government.

The final cut that I want to talk about today is significant, and some of those opposite, including the member for Macnamara, have spoken out about this. They cut Medicare funded mental health visits from 20 to 10 at a time when there is a cost-of-living crisis and the report stated that those 20 sessions should continue. This government will spin, but it continues to cut, cut, cut. (Time expired)

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