Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health. Yesterday in question time the minister said:

…those who can make a modest contribution to the cost of their care should be encouraged to do so.

How will the government be encouraging Australians to make a modest contribution? Isn't the government simply planning another GP tax?

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Sydney for her question. She asks about policies and ideas that have come to the coalition in government. I have heard many ideas. I have heard ideas from my colleagues on the back bench. I have heard ideas from doctors.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The point of order is on relevance. The minister cannot rephrase the question and ask the question she wants me to ask.

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

The member will resume her seat. There is no point of order.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate the chance to answer the question. The policy ideas are coming thick and fast during our consultation phase.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The shadow minister for health has said that Labor have been putting together their policies for the last 18 months. Where are they? Does that mean that there weren't any policies when they were in government?

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The member for Jagajaga will desist. The member for Kingsford Smith will desist.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When it comes to policies, there are policies that we have ruled out. We have ruled out, absolutely, means testing of Medicare. Have the opposition likewise ruled out means testing of Medicare? We have ruled out increasing the Medicare levy—categorically. We have ruled that out. Have the opposition ruled out means testing and increasing the Medicare levy? Do we therefore understand that the opposition's policies are: means testing of Medicare and raising the Medicare levy? We have ruled these out. Where are your policies?

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my left.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In Labor's year of big ideas there are no ideas. There are no ideas from Labor about ensuring sustainability. There have, of course, been questions about the Intergenerational report. No questions about the Intergenerational report have been asked of me, perhaps because of a slight sensitivity on page 63 of the Intergenerational report, where it says if we stay on Labor's fast track to doing nothing, the percentage of GDP on health spending will almost double to seven per cent, and 'Medicare … is projected to be the fastest growing component of health expenditure.' How much more evidence do you need to see that the coalition's determination to keep Medicare sustainable over the long term is actually the right one.