Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There was a lot of good news in last night's budget. We had tax cuts and we had more policy for housing and help for people to buy their first home. But something that my community are really passionate about is Medicare, and we have unashamedly backed Medicare in our four budgets that we've delivered. I'm very excited to confirm that the new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Chatswood was funded in last night's budget as part of $8½ billion budgeted for to increase access to GPs and to provide urgent care when needed.

We've opened one in Top Ryde, and that's been going really well. There have been over 5,000 visitors there. I was there last week when my partner, Jo, had a little scare. We were able to go up to the Top Ryde Medicare Urgent Care Clinic at about 9.15 pm—they're open until 10 pm—and we were able to see a doctor. Dr Grace and her team do a fantastic job.

We have unashamedly backed Medicare, because we know what the opposition will do with it. We just need to listen what the Leader of the Opposition says, 'The best indicator for future performance is past performance.' What did they do to Medicare when they were in government? They promised no cuts to Medicare, and then, as health minister, the Leader of the Opposition took the axe to Medicare: $50 billion cut from hospitals and a six year Medicare rebate freeze. We spent the last three years cleaning up that mess, and we know that Medicare will get stronger under Labor because we created it.