Kerry Bartlett (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Would the minister update the House on how the government’s ‘Strengthening Medicare’ package is ensuring that Australians have access to affordable medical services, particularly in my electorate of Macquarie?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do appreciate the member for Macquarie’s question. I note that the GP bulk-billing rate in his electorate has increased to 79 per cent since the government’s ‘Strengthening Medicare’ measures began. Bulk-billing is certainly not the be-all and end-all of Medicare, but it is important and it should be widely available, particularly for children and pensioners. And that is exactly what has happened, thanks to the policies of the Howard government.

In the September quarter, the national GP bulk-billing rate hit 76.9 per cent. That is the 11th successive quarter of bulk-billing increases. It is an increase of more than 10 percentage points since December 2003. The bulk-billing rate for children, at 84.2 per cent, is at an all-time high. The bulk-billing rate for people aged over 65, at 87.1 per cent, is at a 10-year high.

The government’s ‘Strengthening Medicare’ package was not just about bulk-billing; it was also about helping people who do not get bulk-billed. That is why we introduced the new Medicare safety net. This year 1½ million Australians will be helped by that safety net. Last year 15,000 people in the electorate of Macquarie were helped by that safety net. But members opposite still want to abolish that safety net. The only party in this parliament that wants to cut health spending is the Australian Labor Party, which wants to abolish the Medicare safety net. Two months ago, the Leader of the Opposition called the safety net flawed and inflationary. No wonder only 24 per cent of the Australian public want him to lead the Australian Labor Party! Last month the member for Lalor called the safety net inflationary and inequitable. No wonder only 27 per cent of the Australian people want her to lead the Labor Party! While Labor agonises between a failed leader and flawed challenges, this government is getting on with delivering better health services to the Australian people and reinforcing its credentials as the best friend that Medicare has ever had.