Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The response we desire is obviously not to put the price up and pay a gap; it's simply to take the offer we have to further your professional qualifications so that you can charge at everybody else's rate. That is our intention, Senator. We think that this is an incentive. It is a disincentive in some ways, but we have provided all the funds from both colleges of general practice to enable people to get the same qualifications as everyone else in Australia.

We think there's a bit of disincentive, but we also think there's an awful lot of incentive to ensure that people are able to deliver. We don't think this is suddenly someone saying, 'That creates a gap. Let's do this.' Our intention is to ensure that everyone has access to the same level of qualifications, and those people receiving treatment, therefore, are treated by people with the highest level of qualification. I'll make sure I get a brief to you, Senator.