Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is a very emotional issue to take note of answers on. Senator Cormann made some comments that were quite disingenuous considering the former Howard Liberal government’s 12 long years of neglect of the health system in this country. Senator Adams, as we all know, does have a firsthand account of cancer, and I have a family member who now, unfortunately, will not survive with these cancer treatments.

We can all come into this chamber and play politics with people’s health, but I do not think that serves the community’s interests and I do not believe it serves the country. As I said in the last sitting when we had a debate on health, I would stake the Rudd Labor government’s health agenda against the 12 long years of neglect of the Howard government any day of the week. Bring it on, Senator Cormann! Give us 12 years in government and our record on health will diminish any limited capacity that your former government had in looking after the health and welfare of Australians.

I remind people that this week, hopefully, we will get to debate the alcopops tax. If you were really serious about health then you would support that legislation, Senator Cormann. You were one of the most vocal in opposing that legislation because your interest in health is one that only serves your own political agenda.

The Rudd Labor government, as all Australian governments do, has it foremost in its mind to always consider the taxpayer when expending any money. We are committed to ensure there is no wastage. If you listened to the contribution of Senator Cormann, you would have heard: ‘It’s okay to waste. It doesn’t matter if we waste. What difference does it really make? We should just make this available.’ We have a responsibility to govern for all Australians and to ensure that we get the best value for all taxpayer money that is expended.

As I said before, you can come here and play politics with people’s health, but that is not our agenda. We are about improving the health system. Ultimately, the taxpayers will benefit from reducing the wastage of expensive medication. There have been lots of injections to improve the Launceston General Hospital over the last 18 months because it is one of the many hospitals in rural and regional Australia that were neglected by the former Howard government. As a former member of that hospital board I know only too well the cost of medical equipment and medicine in providing the health system that we have in this country, which I consider to be the world’s best. In delivering those services we have a responsibility to the taxpayer. Unlike the previous government, we are accountable for every dollar this government expends, whether in health or in any other area.

In relation to access to chemotherapy and the measures that this government is undertaking that were announced in the budget, we are consulting, and I think that is a very good thing. The Australian people expect us to consult. We are not as arrogant and out of touch as those opposite were when they were in government. This is another prime example of where they do not want to consult and be accountable. We take our role in governing this country very seriously and we will continue to do so.

We need to be very careful to distinguish between legitimate concerns and misinformation. I think that has been borne out over recent weeks in terms of misinformation and emails—and we do not need to go there. We need to focus on the contribution Senator Cormann made to this debate. I acknowledge the contribution of Senator Adams and her concerns, as she too knows firsthand the issues that confront not only individuals but families who are experiencing cancer.

I reiterate that no patient’s treatment will be compromised by these measures. I think that at the end of the day that is the most important thing. It must be on the record that we will do nothing that will compromise a patient’s health and wellbeing.