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

The government strongly opposes these amendments but we welcome the fact that the Greens have again placed on the public record their clear policy to abolish the private health insurance rebate. They are reaffirming that it is Greens policy, essentially, to make private health insurance unaffordable for ordinary Australians. Their policy is to make sure that ordinary Australian families can no longer afford health insurance.

In the lead-up to the next federal election, we intend to make sure that all Australians understand with great clarity what the Greens policy is on this issue. It is a completely unacceptable policy. I welcome the Democrats opposition to the amendments. I welcome the Labor Party’s latterly found opposition to these amendments. We are not quite sure that the Australian people should trust the Labor Party on this issue, given their hostility in the past to the 30 per cent rebate, but I am happy to accept on face value what Senator McLucas says in the context of this debate.

It is extraordinary that the Greens continue to adopt the view that only the wealthy should be able to afford private health insurance and it is extraordinary that they seem ignorant of the clear fact, now recognised by other parties, that to effectively demolish private health insurance in this country would put a completely unsustainable load on the public health system.

I do not want a long debate tonight; I do not think anybody wants a long debate tonight about this issue. I welcome the fact that other parties oppose this amendment, but we note with great interest the policy that the Greens have adopted on this matter.