Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Aged Care. How are the Albanese Labor government's investments in Medicare making it easier to see a bulk-billing doctor? Why is that needed after a decade of cuts and neglect?

Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to the member for Bendigo for that question. When we came to government after a decade of cuts and neglect, bulk-billing was in freefall, and it was really hard to come across a doctor. That's why the member for Bendigo and the rest of the Labor team made such a clear commitment to strengthening Medicare, and I'm pleased to report that our record investments in Medicare now mean we have more doctors and more bulk-billing and that we're opening more Medicare urgent-care clinics.

In regard to doctors, in the past two years, we've seen the biggest increase in the number of doctors in Australia in a decade. I'm particularly pleased that the number of junior doctors choosing general practice training is up by 25 per cent. It's 12 months now since our record investments in bulk-billing took effect, with the tripling of the bulk-billing incentive. Bulk-billing had been 'in freefall', to use the words of the College of General Practitioners, so the first and most important objective of our investments was to stop the slide. For a Labor government, that was absolutely critical. Maybe it would not be for the Leader of the Opposition, who famously said there were too many free Medicare services, but, for Labor, bulk-billing is the beating heart of Medicare.

I'm pleased to report that we have stopped the slide, but, more than that, we've seen a rebound in bulk-billing in every single state and territory. In the seat of Bendigo, bulk-billing is up by more than eight per cent, thanks to the energetic promotion of our investments by the local member. Across the country, in just 12 months, there have been 5.4 million additional free visits to the GP, with 40 per cent of them in rural Australia. At the same time as that, almost 900,000 Australians have been seen at our Medicare urgent-care clinics, with every single one of them fully bulk-billed.

We know that Medicare is still under very serious pressure and that there is still much more for us to do, but these investments are making a real difference, with more doctors, more bulk-billing and more urgent-care clinics. But we also know that that progress is under serious threat from those opposite, who are a reckless opposition. The shadow Treasurer has made it clear that our additional investments in bulk-billing and the rest are on the chopping block if they win government. There will be no more support for bulk-billing. The urgent-care clinics are going to close. You just have to look at the Leader of the Opposition's record to see that he has form in this area. We remember that, when he was health minister, he tried to abolish bulk-billing altogether. He tried to cut $50 billion from our hardworking public hospitals. Just imagine how bad things will be if he ever gets his hands on Medicare again.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I didn't want to interrupt the minister during his answer. The member for Fisher, on my calculations, was up to about 13 interjections in one answer—continually—so, he's going to leave the chamber under 94(a)

The member for Fisher then left the chamber.

It doesn't matter what time a question is in question time. If someone is just going to continually yell during question time, they aren't going to be here for the remainder of it.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Aged Care. Can the minister confirm that, under the coalition, the bulk-billing rate was 88 per cent, compared to 74 per cent under Labor?

Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm asked about the former government's record on bulk-billing. I am very pleased to talk about their record on bulk-billing because it is clear that, as the former government were ending their time in government, as we came to government, bulk-billing was in freefall. I don't make up that word. That was the description used by the then president of the College of General Practitioners. Really, it should be no surprise. When the Leader of the Opposition was health minister, when he couldn't abolish bulk-billing altogether, he started a freeze on the Medicare rebate that endured for six long years.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause. He is less than one minute in, but it was a pretty tight question on facts and figures. It was about bulk-billing rates. We are going to hear from—

Member for Hume, when I am dealing with a point of order, I am asking you to help me to help the chamber.

Mr Taylor interjecting—

Great. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's on relevance. It was a very tight question. The bulk-billing rate was 84 per cent under the coalition. It's 74 per cent under Labor. We are not after rhetorical flourishes and equivocation. We are after the number. If can't give it he should simply sit down.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House on a point of order?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just adding to what was said there by the Manager of Opposition Business—therefore, to be directly relevant, it is relevant for the minister to refer to bulk-billing under the coalition and what happened then and bulk-billing under this government.

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Everyone, just cool it. You asked a question about figures. You asked about bulk-billing rates of the former government and this government. Obviously, there are figures involved and there's a comparison involved. I don't know where the figures have come from or been sourced. I am just going to make sure the minister is directly relevant. He is going to keep to the subject that he was asked about and not stray into any other policies and bulk-billing rates.

Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The figure that the Manager of Opposition Business uses also includes, as I understand it—I will stand corrected—consults for COVID-19 vaccinations, which did artificially boost the bulk-billing rate. We have been very clear that our interest was in the bulk-billing rates for GP consults.

Opposition members interjecting—

I hear all the interjections. They might not be interested in the bulk-billing rate for GP consults, but that was the basis on which we started reporting bulk-billing data. GP colleges and the rest of the representatives said they could not tell from the data published by the former government what the bulk-billing rate was for GP visits, and GP visits are the core service in the Medicare system. So there are two things. The former government did not include transparent data on bulk-billing. They artificially inflated it with COVID-19 vaccinations. The second thing is that the trajectory was clear.

I will say this to wind it up. I am happy any day of the week to have a debate on bulk-billing with this man, the worst health minister in the history of Medicare. I don't say that as an opinion. That was the opinion of Australia's doctors. The second-worst health minister in the history of Medicare was the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, because she froze the Medicare rebate for her entire time as health minister. Under this Treasurer, the Medicare rebate has increased in two years by more than the former government managed in nine long years. (Time expired)

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gilmore has the call.

Order! The Minister for Health and Aged Care and the Leader of the Opposition are going to cease interjecting.

The Treasurer is now warned. I'm sure people want to continue with question time. Now that everyone is not interjecting and the House has come to order, we will hear from the member for Gilmore.