Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Three times, Senator Conroy. Three times they attempted to bring in a tax on the sickest people in our community. For that first point of health care, where people go and need assistance, they go to their GP. But, no; what did this mob over there want to do? They wanted to tax them. They wanted them to pay to seek medical advice at that very pivotal point when people get health care. So none of that worked. The $7 GP tax on all patients did not work. Then we had the $5 GP tax on non-concessional patients and then a $20 cut in rebates for short visits. Each time, what was the reason we were told? It was because they needed to make Medicare sustainable. But that was despite the fact that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's report shows that Australian health expenditure was actually growing. It was growing at its lowest level since records began 30 years ago. But, no; this mob wanted to cut it.

They have stood up here today and said they have a green paper, it is a draft and it is going to have lots of things in it. How can we trust them? How can we trust this government when they say, 'We are not going to do this,' when everything they said before the election they have backflipped on? They have backflipped on no cuts to health; they have backflipped—absolutely backflipped—on no cuts to education; they have backflipped on no cuts to the ABC; and they have backflipped on no cuts to SBS. Yet they stand here and say, 'This is a draft green paper; believe us when we say we are not going to cut hospitals.' Let us get it very clear: we do not believe what you say. Nor do the Australian people believe what you say. The people out there who believed what you told them before the last election are not going to believe what you are telling them now. And nor should they because you have not been trustworthy with them. You have not earned the trust of the Australian people. You have broken so many of those promises that they will not believe you now and they will not believe you in the future. That is a sensible thing for them to do because you cannot be trusted. Your word is broken every time. (Time expired)

Question agreed to.