Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

I was asked why it's important to strengthen Medicare. The Leader of the Opposition himself pointed out that bulk billing rates have declined since he was health minister. Perhaps he could have reminded listeners that he said as minister at there were too many free Medicare services. Perhaps he could have reminded them he tried to abolish bulk billing and introduce a fee for every single Australian every time they visited the doctor, and then introduced a Medicare rebate freeze that lasted for six years and ripped billions of dollars out of all health care.

He might have not told the listeners of Tasmania all that, but I tell you this: Australia's doctors and nurses will never forget what this man did when he was health minister. Australia's patients won't forget it either. They know exactly what he'll do if he ever gets his hands on Medicare again.

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