Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Aged Care, Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

First of all, I place on the record the reasons that the Labor Party did not support any of the second reading amendments that have not been carried in this place. All three of those second reading amendments contemplated a sale of Medibank Private. The Labor Party totally opposes any sale of Medibank Private, so any support for second reading amendments that contemplate a sale cannot be provided.

Going to the substance of Senator Murray’s amendment, which attempts to resolve the issue that was raised by the Scrutiny of Bills Committee, the point that I have just made about our opposition to the second reading amendments still stands. Labor does not contemplate a sale of Medibank Private. That is why we opposed the second reading, and that is why we have spoken strongly in the chamber about why we oppose the sale of Medibank Private. There are no good reasons to sell Medibank Private. In fact, there are only poor public policy reasons that will eventuate from such a sale. Whilst I understand Senator Murray’s motivation—that is, to try to curtail the minister’s power; if they forget about it, by 2012 they might have to do something—Labor cannot support his amendment. We do not support the sale of Medibank Private; therefore, we cannot support this amendment.