Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is a Labor Party branch member in my electorate who, for every single time the Liberals and the Nationals have been in government, has a sticker calling on the community to rally to save Medicare. This time is no exception. Whilst we might have some people from the government standing up and saying, 'Don't worry, it's all over,' nobody is going to believe you. Nobody believes you and nobody is putting their placards away. That is because on 53 separate occasions this Prime Minister stood up and said introducing a Medicare co-payment for visiting the GP was a good idea.

This is the same Prime Minister who has a pattern: right before a state election he backs down. Guess what is happening this month? The New South Wales state election. Guess what happened in January? The Queensland state election. Guess what happened last November? The Victorian state election. This Prime Minister has form; he backs down right before a state election. But before you know it, around the side door, through the roof—who knows which way he will come—he will put this GP tax back on the table. But don't worry, Australians will not be fooled, our doctors will not be fooled and people in regional Australia will not be fooled. We have our placards ready. They will be out tomorrow, because this Prime Minister's word cannot be trusted. We will keep standing up and fighting for universal health care and for our Medicare.