Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

I appreciate that question on what has become a topical issue. Can I say in relation to ideology that the ideological stumbling block appears to be within the Labor Party, which is ideologically opposed to private health insurance. They have been attacking the private health insurance industry—and everybody who subscribes to it—for at least 10 years. They have opposed the 30 per cent private health insurance rebate on every possible occasion. The one thing we can be sure of is that if this mob got into government they would end the 30 per cent private health insurance rebate and they would put up premiums. That has been their policy for most of the period they have been in opposition.

As to the issue of private health insurance and Medibank Private, the opposition has been campaigning against the private health insurance rebate for almost the whole period of its time in opposition. That is an absolute fact of life.