Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. At Senate estimates yesterday the Department of Health confirmed that, because of the GP tax and the Prime Minister's decision to cut the bulk billing incentive, there will be around 680,000 fewer diagnostic imagine services in 2015-16 and almost one million fewer by 2017. Was the Prime Minister aware of these consequences when he made the decision to cut bulk billing and does he understand the consequences of his decision?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The short answer is yes and yes. We were advised in the lead-up to the budget that, as a result of the decision by the government to charge a modest co-payment or to seek to have a modest co-payment for visits to the GP and visits to the diagnostician, there could be a one per cent reduction in the total usage of these services. At the moment, there are well over 100 million GP visits a year, and about a one per cent reduction to these services was the estimate we were given.

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Ms Butler interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Jagajaga will desist. The member for Griffith will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But this line of questioning is not new. The last time a modest co-payment was imposed, a Prime Minister was asked about the consequences for patients.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order on direct relevance. The question goes to whether or not people will be diagnosed with sicknesses like cancer.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the Manager of Opposition Business should know, I have said that we have been advised by the department that there will be about a one per cent reduction in the use of services.

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You don't care.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Jagajaga is warned.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

The member for Moreton will also desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A previous Prime Minister who imposed a co-payment—someone who should be well known and well loved to members opposite—was asked about the impact on cancer patients of the co-payment. He said:

Is anyone seriously suggesting that, in the circumstance you're talking about, where there is the possibility of breast cancer, that is going to stop them going to the doctor? I mean, that is emotionalism being played at the lowest level.

Let me repeat the words of Bob Hawke in response to questions of the type members opposite are now asking:

… that is emotionalism being played at the lowest level.

Bob Hawke was a leader. Bob Hawke was a reformer. Bob Hawke was a great Prime Minister.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not without respect for the Leader of the Opposition and I am not without gratitude to the Leader of the Opposition for his statesmanship and bipartisanship on matters of national security. But when it comes to economic security he really should lift his game.