Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] I begin today by registering my ongoing thanks to all the healthcare workers here in Jagajaga—the nurses, doctors and pharmacists—administering vaccines and caring for people in really difficult and tiring circumstances, and our community health services and our hospitals. Please know you have the support and thanks of our community. We value you and the essential care that you provide.

My community also values the bedrock of our system, Medicare, and the way it allows for affordable, accessible health care no matter what your background is. But it's this that is under threat from the Morrison government. The Morrison government snuck out almost 1,000 changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule under the cover of a pandemic, meaning patients were left in the dark and unsure whether they were facing the choice of either cancelling life-changing surgeries or having to work out how they will pay for medical bills.

Eight long years of this government have proved time and time again that cutting Medicare is in the Liberals' DNA. Under this government, people in Jagajaga are paying 32 per cent more in out-of-pocket costs to see a doctor or a specialist than they were in 2013. This has a direct negative impact on people's health. I thank the thousands of people in Jagajaga who have already signed my petition to save Medicare. Labor built Medicare and we will always fight to protect it. I will always fight for Medicare.