Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Grogan. As I said, the government is tripling the bulk-billing incentive for the care of children, which helps all Australian families, and also of concession card holders and pensioners. All Australian families deserve to have the confidence that, when a kid gets sick, they can go to a bulk-billing doctor. Our measures will also help millions of pensioners, self-funded retirees and concession card holders, taking the pressure off the cost of living.

The College of General Practitioners described the budget as a game changer, particularly with regard to bulk-billing of GP services. And, after nine years of cuts and the neglect of Medicare by those opposite, the reality is that general practice in this country is in crisis. But we know there is only one party of government that will ever be committed to ensuring that Medicare is strengthened and protected, and it is the Labor Party. One of the fundamental differences between the coalition, those opposite, and this side of the chamber is that, for us, Medicare— (Time expired)