Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ruston. It is good to see the interest in health, and I am certainly interested to know more about your position on Medicare. There is certainly no higher priority for this government in the health portfolio than strengthening Medicare and rebuilding general practice. After nine years of cuts and neglect by the former government, primary care was in the worst shape it had been in in 40 years and bulk-billing rates were in freefall. The former government froze the Medicare rebate for six years, ripping billions of dollars out of primary care and causing gap fees—