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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given the government has ruled out further cuts on foreign aid, will the Prime Minister, for the benefit of the hypocrites seated behind him, also rule out a $50 billion cut to health, which will have a devastating impact on New South Wales hospitals?

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

The member can rephrase his question and not try to be smart.

Opposition members interjecting—

I have given my instruction. You will leave that word out.

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

Madam Speaker, which word was unparliamentary?

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

I said you will rephrase it and not try to be smart.

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

I want to know which word was unparliamentary.

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

You are reflecting on the chair by wording it in that way and I will not have it.

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

You have ruled every word parliamentary.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order. If the Manager of Opposition Business cares to reflect on his question, he will find that it contained 'inferences, imputations and insults and ironical expressions'. Clearly, none of those people are on this side of the House; therefore, that is the word you should be withdrawing.

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

The Leader of the House has made the point. I have made my observation to the Manager of Opposition Business. He may ask his question by leaving that word out.

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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given the government has ruled out further cuts to foreign aid, will the Prime Minister also rule out his $50 billion cut to health, which will have a devastating impact on New South Wales hospitals?

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

There is no such thing. For the benefit of members opposite, public hospital funding goes up nine per cent this year, nine per cent next year, nine per cent the year after that and eight per cent in the year after that.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

Mr Burke interjecting—

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

The member for Sydney and the member for Watson will put their props down.

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

We are increasing public hospital funding every single year—nine per cent, nine per cent, nine per cent and eight per cent. It is going up every year and members opposite should stop pedalling these falsehoods.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

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

The member for Sydney will put her props down or leave! The choice is hers.

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

Madam Speaker, what they should also do if they do not like the budget that we brought down last year is tell us what they would do. We know that Medicare, which cost $8 billion a decade ago, costs $20 billion now and will cost $34 billion a decade hence. We have a plan. What is the opposition's? If you do not like our plan—

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

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

The member for Hotham will desist!

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

to fix the problem that you created, tell us what your plan is. Our plan, as the Minister for Health has made absolutely crystal clear, is to protect our great Medicare system. Not for nothing was I, as health minister, the best friend that Medicare has had. I will now give that title to the current health minister. But I want to be the best Prime Minister that Medicare has ever had. The way to do that is to work constructively with the health professionals and to work constructively with the Australian Medical Association. That is exactly what we are doing, to protect the vulnerable, to improve services to make our great Medicare system even better and to increase public hospital funding by nine per cent this year, nine per cent next year, nine per cent the year after that and eight per cent in the final year. That is what we are doing.