Nova Peris (NT, 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 Associate Professor Brian Owler, President of the Australian Medical Association, who says:

Recent evidence indicates that 12.2 per cent of indigenous Australians do not access a GP because of cost in the current system. A co-payment will hamper our collective efforts to "close the gap" …

Is the President of the AMA right?

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

I am aware of comments by Professor Brian Owler. What I would say to the chamber is this government is absolutely committed to improving health outcomes for all Australians, including Indigenous Australians.

The senator should be aware that the community controlled health organisations claim Medicare benefits for primary health care. The senator would, I am sure, also be aware that they are also able to access grant funding as well to deliver primary health care. In 2014-15 the grant funding amounts to $382 million. This government is very well aware of how important it is that we ensure Indigenous Australians have access to primary health care. We need to improve those health outcomes and we will absolutely be ensuring, as my colleague Senator Scullion has been continuing to say, that we will focus that on frontline delivery and health care.

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer again to comments by Associate Professor Owler, who says:

… among the more disadvantaged in society, 12 per cent of people defer or do not see their GP due to cost. It will significantly increase with a co-payment.

Is the President of the AMA right?

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

This government, as I have continued to say in this chamber, is absolutely focused on ensuring we get the best health outcomes for the Australian people.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Senator Nash, resume your seat. Senator Moore is on her feet. On my right, Senator Moore is entitled to be heard in silence. Senator Moore.

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

Mr President, my point of order is on direct relevance. You have to be fast, you beat me last time, Senator Nash, by sitting down so quickly. The question was: is the President of the AMA right?

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

I cannot instruct the minister on how to answer the question. The minister has been going for 14 seconds and has 46 seconds remaining to address the question. There is no point of order at this stage. I am listening closely to the minister's answer. I call the minister.

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

Thank you very much, Mr President. I do not look at question time as a race to the time to sit down. I had simply concluded my answer.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Senator Nash, just resume your seat. Order! Minister, please continue.

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

Thank you very much, Mr President. As I have indicated to this chamber, there has been a range of arrangements that have changed in this budget as a result of the fact that it is this government that are looking to ensure a sustainable health system into the future. Those changes have been made because we, unlike those on the other side, are going to ensure that sustainable health system.

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

Resume your seat, Senator Nash. Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President, my point of order is relevance. The Australian Medical Association has put the proposition that the effect of the government's policies will be that people will defer or not see their general practitioner due to cost. The minister is being asked about that proposition. She should return to the question in her answer.

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

Order! As I have said, I cannot tell the minister how to answer the question, but I do draw the minister's attention to the question. The minister.

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

Thank you very, Mr President. I can indicate to the chamber our commitment to getting better health outcomes.

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question.

Honourable senators interjecting —

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

Senator Peris, do not ask the question yet because you have people interjecting and you need to be heard. Order! Senator Peris.

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. When Australia's peak medical association does not support the government's $7 GP tax, how can the Australian people?

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

What the Australian people supported—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Senator Nash, just resume your seat. It will assist if senators at the front of the chamber desist from discussing the matter across the chamber. The question is being asked of Senator Nash, not of any other senator at this stage. As the minister responsible, the minister has the call to answer the question. The minister.

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

Thank you very much, Mr President. What the Australian people support is this government fixing the budget mess of the previous Labor government. What the Australian people support, which they showed at the last election, was this government being the government able to fix the economic mess that was left to us by the previous Labor government. There have been some tough decisions. It is this government that is, indeed, going to spend $500 million more on Indigenous health over the forward estimates than was spent by the previous Labor government between 2009-2010 and 2012-2013. If you are asking the question about who has the commitment to Indigenous health, it is this coalition government.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

When there is silence I will give Senator Hanson-Young the call. Senator Hanson-Young is entitled—on my left—to be heard in silence. Senator Hanson-Young.