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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Prime Minister. Three days after the election, the Prime Minister said that he had learned his lesson on cutting Medicare. Given the Prime Minister says he has learned his lesson, which of his Medicare cuts has he reversed in the two months since the election?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition, in the course of this election, engaged in one of the most dishonest campaigns ever undertaken in an Australian election.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition authorised a campaign targeted at Australians who are over 65, Australians that were vulnerable, Australians that were anxious about their healthcare, and he told the lie that the government was going to privatise Medicare; that there would be no Medicare. The Labor Party went to the extent of sending out a text message which purported to be from Medicare.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

That distinguished QC opposite, the member for Isaacs, he scoffs. Did the member for Isaacs give advice? Was it the member for Isaacs that told the Labor Party that there was a loophole in the law? Was his the cunning legal mind that said, 'yes; you go to jail for five years if you impersonate a Commonwealth official, but if you impersonate Medicare, you probably won't get charged'? Was that the brilliant legal insight? It is always good to help people get around the criminal law, member for Isaacs. That is what—did you do that, would you do that, wending your way through the Crimes Act?

Opposition members interjecting—

Medicare is guaranteed. Medicare has always been guaranteed. Bulk-billing is at an all-time high, spending in Medicare is at an all-time high. The lies the Labor Party spread in that election did, regrettably, convince a number of Australians. But they have not convinced anyone in this House. They knew it was a lie and so do we.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members will cease interjecting. The member for Gorton will not interject. The member for Ballarat was interjecting right through that answer: the member for Ballarat is warned. I call the member for Capricornia.