Clive Palmer (Fairfax, Palmer United Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to criticise the government for what I think is one of the most unfair budgets in the history of this country. I also rise to advise the House that our senators decided this morning that they will be voting against the GP co-payment and we will do all that we can to make sure that it is not introduced in Australia. I hope that will provide us with better leadership in the future.

We have to remember that our current health system costs us 8.9 per cent of our GDP. The health system of the United States costs just on 17.2 per cent of their GDP. So there is no question that we have a superior health system and it sustains us. Yet, in the United States, 60 million Americans still do not have coverage for their health and they still wander aimlessly, sick, in the cities of the United States while here in Australia we have got universal coverage. It is something we should cherish. There will be no co-payment.