Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. I refer to the minister's answer in the Senate on Monday when she said arrangements for the co-payment are ultimately a matter for the GPs. Is the minister aware of comments by the President of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, Dr Ian Kamerman, that rural doctors will face a tough choice to force more of their struggling patients to make the co-payment or to treat more of their patients free of charge? Is the Rural Doctors Association of Australia right?

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

I can advise senators on the other side that this government is going to do what we were elected to do, and that is get the budget back on track and fix the economic mess that the previous Labor government left us. That meant that in the budget we had to make some tough decisions. When we were looking at an MBS going to blow out in 10 years time—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Nash, resume your seat as I need to hear the answer and I cannot hear it. When there is silence, we will proceed.

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

There has been a range of views on the budget and this government has been absolutely clear in saying that the priority is making sure—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order on direct relevance. There was a direct question about a quote from the Rural Doctors Association, which was: is the Rural Doctors Association right? We have not got anywhere near that yet, Mr President.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

While there is one minute 18 remaining for the question to be answered, I remind the minister of the question.

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

I am being absolutely relevant. The question is around a tough budget decision. I am being relevant in pointing out exactly why—

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senators on my left! Senator Moore is on her feet.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise again on a point of order on direct relevance. It is a simple question about the quote from the Rural Doctors Association. The minister has not as yet turned her answer to that question.

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I did draw the minister's attention to the question at the one minute 18 mark. There is now one minute and two seconds remaining. I draw the minister's attention to the question.

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

This government is going to ensure that we have a sustainable health system for rural Australia, unlike those on the other side who did absolutely nothing except leave us with an economic mess.

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. A yes or no would have been a surprise answer, but can the minister—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Wait a minute, Senator Bilyk. You are on your feet asking a question and people are interjecting. It is very hard to hear the question.

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister confirm that if a rural or regional GP waives the $7 GP tax that they will receive $14 less for bulk billing than they would for bulk billing the same patient today—yes or no?

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

In answering what seems to be almost exactly the same question just a couple of days ago, I indicated to the chamber that it is a matter for GPs.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order again or direct relevance. It was a direct question about the impact of the GP co-payment: will the doctors receive $14 less for bulk billing than they would for bulk billing the same patient today? It is a very simple question. I ask for a direct answer.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I cannot instruct the minister how to answer the question. The minister still has 46 seconds remaining to address the question.

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

Perhaps had the manager of Opposition Business waited a little longer than 14 seconds we could have got to the answer. There have been some changes in arrangements to the GP payments as a result of the economic mess left to us by the previous Labor government. Those on the other side do not like to hear this but it is a touch budget with some changes in arrangements that will ensure a sustainable health system the future.

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When there is silence on my left I will call the senator to ask the question. None of the people calling out have the call for the question. I am waiting to call the senator to ask the question.

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Why has the government slugged rural Australians with a $7 GP tax each time they go to the doctor, a $5 prescription fee each time they buy medication and a fuel excise each time they have to travel to go to the doctor?

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

I think we have been extremely clear saying that this is a tough budget because of the mess the previous Labor government left us. If the previous Labor government had not wasted so much money, if the previous Labor government had not left us with a trajectory of $667 billion worth of debt, if the previous Labor government had not left us an interest bill of over $30 million a day, then we would not have had to make the tough decisions and the $12 billion a year we are paying on the interest on the previous Labor government's debt could have funded a new teaching hospital in every capital city around this country. That is why it is a tough budget. We are making the right decisions so that we will have a sustainable system for the country in future.