Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Nash. I refer to the Prime Minister's pre-election promise:

We are not shutting any Medicare Local.

Will the minister restate that commitment on the floor of the chamber today?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I have indicated to the chamber, I am not going to speculate on the budget tonight. The Leader of the Government in the Senate has just indicated that we have a little over five hours to go before the budget will be before the Australian people. I will indicate to the chamber that it will be a budget that will fix the economic mess that this government has been left by the previous Labor government. The previous Labor government, when it came to health, was focused on bureaucracy and duplication and not on ensuring that the Australian people had access to health services that they deserved. That is what we on this side of the chamber will be doing this evening.

Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given that the Prime Minister's pre-election promise was that there would be no cuts to health—and that is the expectation of the Australian people—can the minister confirm that Medicare Locals are not on the chopping block?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those on the other side would know that there is a continuing role and need for organisations to carry out a coordination function in primary care. That is well recognised. As those opposite would also know, the government commissioned the former Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, Professor John Horvath, to carry out the review of Medicare Locals and their role. There has been a different model advocated by Professor Horvath. He recommended that there be fewer organisations carrying out that role, that their boundaries be realigned and that the names of the organisations be changed. He also found that some of their Medicare Locals worked very effectively. So, in the context of the continuing role of primary health care, there is an opportunity for those organisations. But I would say: we are going to ensure that there is proper delivery of health services in that context to people who need it.

Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that Minister Nash lives in rural New South Wales, can I ask: does the minister support the Murrumbidgee Medicare Local, which extends from Hay to Griffith, to Tumbarumba, Wagga and Young, spreading over 100,000 square kilometres and servicing more than 200,000 people? And will she stand by the promise on Medicare Locals?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I support the better delivery of health services than we saw from the previous Labor government. As the senator opposite would well know, I do live in a regional area and I have done for a very long time. So I know better than anybody that it is this government that is going to be able to ensure better health delivery for people in rural and regional Australia than those opposite. That is borne out by their track record, with a lack of focus on rural and regional Australia—a lack of focus on the proper health delivery that we needed to see out in the regions. So I do very much understand what is needed in terms of rural and regional Australia. It is this government that will ensure the efficient delivery of health services. It will ensure a lack of bureaucracy, a lack of administration and ensure care goes to those who need it.