Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I completely reject the assertion that it is going to be a co-payment introduced by stealth. The Minister, Sussan Ley, could not have been more clear today in saying that both the $5 co-payment and the $5 reduction to the Medicare rebate are completely off the table and will not proceed. She could not have been more clear about that, so I completely reject that assertion.

In terms of the indexation, the minister has indicated that there will be a pause on the indexation while there is further consultation across the sector with professionals, with doctors and with those in the community. Indeed, the AMA President, Brian Owler, has recently said that continuing consultation to look at those innovative ideas and ways to improve and enhance sustainability are the important thing to consider. I certainly do not want that to be taken as a quote, but that is the intent of what he said. I would invite colleagues to go and look at those comments.

It is indeed the profession, it is indeed the AMA and others right across this sector, that have very much welcomed the consultation period that the minister has undertaken. They have appreciated the opportunity to be able to put their views forward on ways that we can enhance and make the system sustainable. The policy position of this government has not changed. We are going to ensure that there is a sustainable health system into the future and, indeed, I would say that all those around the chamber would agree that that is what we need to do—something that was not done by the previous Labor government. But it is something that this government is focused on to ensure—and will continue the consultation across the sector to ensure—that we can have that sustainability into the future.