Warren Entsch (Leichhardt, 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 is helping to deliver better mental health services? Is the minister aware of any alternative policies? What is the government’s response?

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

I thank the member for Leichhardt for his question. Last year the Prime Minister announced a $1.9 billion mental health initiative, by far the biggest initiative ever announced in this area. He did so in part because of the convinced advocacy of the member for Leichhardt. I thank him and congratulate him for the work he did.

Thanks to this initiative far more Australians are now getting the care that they need. I can inform the House that in the first four months of the operation of this initiative Medicare supported more than 130,000 mental health care plans prepared by GPs. Under Medicare, there were more than 40,000 consultations with clinical psychologists and more than 100,000 consultations with psychologists and other health professionals. I can also inform the House that there are now nearly 1,400 clinical psychologists and more than 7,000 psychologists who are registered to provide services under Medicare thanks to this mental health initiative. Yet again we have more services from the Howard government. Yet again we have more proof that the Howard government is the best friend that Medicare has ever had.

I have been asked about alternative policies. Since 3 May last year the Australian Labor Party has officially been a policy free zone on health. There is a very good rule when you are talking about the Australian Labor Party: do not believe what they say, believe what they do. So I was researching this whole question of Labor policy on mental health. I discovered that, after the Leader of the Opposition had been the de facto Premier of Queensland for four years, Queensland had the worst mental health system of any state in the Commonwealth of Australia. The then Human Rights Commissioner said in 1993:

There is no question that there are very serious problems in Queensland, including a pathetic lack of services for young people.

That is the Human Rights Commissioner of the regime under the de facto Premier. The following year a research paper prepared for Schizophrenia Australia said:

People who suffer mental illness in Queensland should move interstate because of the woeful health services ...

It was possible to move interstate when the Leader of the Opposition was the de facto Premier of Queensland. It will not be possible to go overseas if he ever gets to be the Prime Minister of this country. If you could not trust the Leader of the Opposition to advise on good health services in Queensland, you can never trust him to run good services. I think there is a clear message here: don’t let Kevin Rudd wreck Medicare like he wrecked Queensland’s health services.

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

I would remind the minister that he should refer to the Leader of the Opposition by his title.

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

Mr Speaker, don’t let Dr Death wreck Medicare like he did the health services in Queensland.

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

Order! The minister will withdraw that statement.

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

I am happy to withdraw if the Leader of the Opposition requests it.

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

The minister will withdraw without reservation.

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

I just make this point: he should not get other people to do his dirty work for him. In deference to you, Mr Speaker—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! I have to say that I could not hear a word that the minister said. I call the minister.

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

In deference to you, I withdraw, Mr Speaker.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, previously, quite clearly, the Leader of the House defied your ruling in the most extraordinary way possible. I would ask that you enforce the standing orders by taking action against him.

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

I believe that the Leader of the House should use the words, ‘I withdraw without reservation.’ I call the Leader of the House to withdraw without reservation.

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

Mr Speaker, of course I withdraw without reservation, as I always do, in deference to you.

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

I listened carefully. I believe that the minister did withdraw.

Roger Price (Chifley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. He still included the words, ‘in deference to you’. You require members on this side of the House to utter the simple words, ‘I withdraw,’ and you are quite right, I might say. That is what is required of the Leader of the House. He has not yet done it.

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

I say to the Chief Opposition Whip, those were the exact words that I heard the minister say.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that you enforce standing order 91(e) and standing order 91(f).

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

I have ruled on this matter and I am not going to enter into any further debate on it.

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

If it makes them happy, I withdraw.

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

I thank the minister.