Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Sport. Will the minister outline to the House how the government is guaranteeing Medicare and fully funding the National Disability Insurance Scheme? Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Robertson. I am delighted that we are able, through the course of the budget, to help deliver stronger and guaranteed Medicare services in her electorate, in particular by providing $12½ million for the Central Coast Medical School and Medical Research Institute. At the local level, that guarantees Medicare by guaranteeing training of more local doctors, who will inevitably stay in the local area. Real services will have a real impact in the area.

At the national level we are also guaranteeing Medicare, not just through law by giving it the first call on the budget but also through ending Labor's freeze, and also by investing $2.4 billion and $10 billion, not just in Medicare but across the entire health budget—including hospitals and the PBS.

One other thing that we are doing, though, is that we are guaranteeing the NDIS. And we are guaranteeing the NDIS not just today through the activities that the Minister for Social Services has done with the introduction of legislation but by funding the NDIS, because if you do not fund the NDIS you do not believe in it. You are a fraud! You are a sham! A charlatan! You are a political con job!

And how do you know that? Because it was the opposition that told us that when they introduced a half a per cent Medicare levy right across the board for Australians. What was it that the opposition leader said? Do you remember? That it would be dumb—you would be dumb not to support this Medicare levy.

What is it that disability groups are saying now? We hear from people with disability:

We are extremely pleased to hear that an increase in the Medicare levy will fully fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme and finally guarantee the support needs of people with disability.

That was from Therese Sands, the director of Disabled People's Organisations Australia. What is it that National Disability Services Australia are saying:

Paying for the NDIS through the Medicare levy will put funding for the NDIS beyond doubt.

What is it that UnitingCare Australia are saying:

The commitment to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) by an increase in the Medicare levy is a significant measure and a landmark worthy of celebrating.

There was a time when the Labor Party used to stand for the NDIS. There was a time when the Labor Party used to back its rhetoric with real action on the NDIS. But what has happened now is a sad reflection not just on the party but on the leader who has led them to a place where the vast majority of them do not want to be. They are now opposing the NDIS by opposing its funding. They are political frauds, they are NDIS— (Time expired)