Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that his Treasurer said yesterday:

... I would actually like to see us very carefully examine the possibility of offering Medibank to the public, particularly to policy holders.

Is the Prime Minister aware that this statement directly contradicts the statement made by his Minister for Finance and Administration on 26 April, when he said in relation to a special share deal for Medibank Private policy holders:

Absolutely, no ...

Given that the government’s two most senior economic ministers have contradicted each other on the sale of Medibank Private, will the Prime Minister now end this incompetence and confusion and tell the three million Medibank Private policy holders whether Medibank Private will be floated with a preferential share deal for members?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I just say to the member for Lalor, who is trying to establish that my Treasurer and my finance minister have been incompetent, that they are fellows who have presided over a golden age of economic growth in Australia. To say that they are incompetent—you really should take a reality check. That is what the member for Lalor should do. But it is worse. I think the member for Lalor has misrepresented the position.

Peter Costello (Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think she has!

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer tells me that she has, and I tell you what: I believe what the Treasurer tells me. I really do. If I had to choose between the member for Lalor and the Treasurer I know who I would choose. Let me make it very clear: I thought that yesterday both the Treasurer and the finance minister talked a lot of sense about Medibank Private—so much so that when I was asked a question about it on Brisbane radio this morning I said that I agreed with them.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Gillard interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Lalor has asked her question.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think the idea of the Australian public being able to buy shares in a privatised Medibank Private would be a good thing. I think it would aid competition and I think people would be interested in it. If there could be a margin for the members of Medibank Private in the arrangement, I think that would be a good thing too. That is all I have to say at the moment, but if I find out anything more about whether the member for Lalor has misled the House you will understand my returning to the dispatch box.