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

I thank the member for her question and for joining us this morning at the terrific mental health expo in the Mural Hall that Mental Health Australia convened, along with the member for North Sydney and a number of members across the chamber.

When we came to government, bulk-billing was in freefall, as the member said, after a decade of cuts and neglect to Medicare. The member promised that a Labor government would turn that around, and we're delivering on that promise. The Treasurer just talked about the two surpluses he's delivered. At the same time, he delivered the two biggest increases to the Medicare rebate in 30 years. In two budgets he's increased the Medicare rebate by more than those opposite managed in nine budgets. We've tripled the bulk-billing incentive for visits to the GP. Not only has that stopped the slide in bulk-billing that we inherited from those opposite; it's also seen a rebound in bulk-billing in every single state and territory. In less than 12 months we've seen almost five million additional free visits to the GP. Yesterday's health of the nation report, delivered by the college of GPs, found that one in four GPs are bulk-billing more now than they were last year. The chair of the college's rural faculty, Dr Michael Clements, said the bulk-billing changes did shift the dial from one of despair to one of hope.

I know, as the member for Macquarie knows, that these measures are making a real difference—they're making a real difference—but we also know that it's still tough to access doctors when people need them. We need to do more to keep strengthening Medicare, and we will do more. I'm also aware that I'm not the only member of this House who's been out and about recently talking about bulk-billing. I also notice that the Leader of the Opposition, in the seat of Lindsay recently, was trumpeting his proud record as a health minister. He said:

… when I was Health Minister … we put a record amount of money into health. When I was Health Minister, the bulk-billing rate was much higher than what it is today.

Let's remember, Mr Speaker, that this is the same health minister who said there were 'too many free Medicare services'. He then tried to abolish bulk-billing altogether and, when he couldn't do that, imposed a six-year freeze to the Medicare rebate that started the slide in bulk-billing that we inherited. As for 'more money', this is also the health minister who tried to cut $50 billion from our hardworking public hospitals, tried to jack up the price of scripts by up to $5 per prescription and tried to make parents pay to get their child vaccinated. It's no wonder the Australian doctors voted this man the worst health minister in the history of Medicare.

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