Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Walsh for her question and thank her again for the work she is doing in Victoria in ensuring more equitable access to Medicare services for the Victorian community. It's true. This year we celebrate the 40th birthday of Medicare. Before Medicare, one in seven Australians didn't have health coverage, and unpaid medical bills were the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in this country. Thanks to that landmark Labor reform, we now live in a country that has a healthcare system that's No. 1 in the world when it comes to health outcomes and when it comes to equity.

Bulk-billing rates were in freefall when we came to government, and that's why we tripled the bulk-billing incentive in last year's budget. Not only has that stopped the slide in bulk-billing rates but also in the first two months we saw an additional 360,000 free visits to the doctor.

Senator Walsh, in Victoria: Victoria saved almost—