Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline to the House how the government is making the choice to sustainably fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme? Is the Treasurer aware of any alternative approaches?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hughes for his question. He, more than many and most in this House, understands the challenges faced by families living with disabilities. He is a neighbour of mine in the electorate of Hughes, and he and I know very well the work of Sylvanvale, which is now in his electorate. It does outstanding work supporting people with disabilities in the community and in the day programs they offer. We all believe on this side of the House—our full cabinet, our full ministry, our full membership here—that these families deserve the certainty of knowing that the National Disability Insurance Scheme is fully funded and fully paid for.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

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

The member for Sydney is warned.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They deserve that certainty. And we know that it is not fully funded from the Labor Party themselves. Julia Gillard herself said, on 15 May 2013, that increasing the Medicare levy would erase approximately 55 per cent of the total cost of the funding. She said on 1 May:

The amount raised from the additional Medicare levy will not fund the full cost of disability care when it's in full operation.

Indeed, the member for Jagajaga said that 40 per cent, or $5.4 billion, would need to be found and 'we'll need to find that in our budget'.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs will cease interjecting.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The only problem was that the budget measures that they said supported it they had already spent. They had already spent the recycled savings on private health insurance. They had already spent the savings on retirement incomes they had announced. And you cannot spend money twice. That is how the $55.7 billion funding black hole came into being. It was not fully funded by those who sit opposite. They even claimed savings that they never even introduced and passed in the parliament, and abandoned when they were in opposition.

So, the NDIS is not fully funded and was not fully funded until we handed down the budget during the last sitting week, where we ensured that we would fully fund that by a ½ per cent increase in the Medicare levy two years from now, when those extra bills come in. There was a joint press conference with the member for Lilley, the member for Jagajaga and the then Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, who said:

…we all contribute and we all share. That is what Medicare is about. That's what the Medicare levy is about.

She said:

… it's not an easy choice. I know I'm asking Australians in their millions to step up to paying an increase in the Medicare levy.

Now, we supported that call in the parliament. And I want to know what happened to the man who said this:

The increase in the Medicare levy will help fund DisabilityCare Australia, which I believe is the most profound piece of social justice and civil rights policy since Medicare.

That was said by the Leader of the Opposition. Where is that man now?