Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health. While it might not come as a sudden shock, on1 July, freezing Medicare rebates will have a bigger financial impact on the cost of seeing a doctor than the $5 rebate cut would have delivered. To borrow a line from the Prime Minister, it is a python squeeze rather than a cobra strike. Will the minister explain why today's announcement is not simply the introduction of a co-payment by stealth?

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

I completely reject the assertion that it is going to be a co-payment introduced by stealth. The Minister, Sussan Ley, could not have been more clear today in saying that both the $5 co-payment and the $5 reduction to the Medicare rebate are completely off the table and will not proceed. She could not have been more clear about that, so I completely reject that assertion.

In terms of the indexation, the minister has indicated that there will be a pause on the indexation while there is further consultation across the sector with professionals, with doctors and with those in the community. Indeed, the AMA President, Brian Owler, has recently said that continuing consultation to look at those innovative ideas and ways to improve and enhance sustainability are the important thing to consider. I certainly do not want that to be taken as a quote, but that is the intent of what he said. I would invite colleagues to go and look at those comments.

It is indeed the profession, it is indeed the AMA and others right across this sector, that have very much welcomed the consultation period that the minister has undertaken. They have appreciated the opportunity to be able to put their views forward on ways that we can enhance and make the system sustainable. The policy position of this government has not changed. We are going to ensure that there is a sustainable health system into the future and, indeed, I would say that all those around the chamber would agree that that is what we need to do—something that was not done by the previous Labor government. But it is something that this government is focused on to ensure—and will continue the consultation across the sector to ensure—that we can have that sustainability into the future.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a supplementary question. Given that the Prime Minister promised not to introduce any health policy without the support of the medical profession, in the government's extensive and exhaustive consultation with experts and medical professionals can the minister name one medical group—just one—that supports the freeze on Medicare rebates?

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

What I can inform the senator is, indeed, as recently as the last hour or so, when asked—

Opposition Senator:

An opposition senator interjecting—

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

I am getting to that. As recently as within the last hour or so, the AMA President, Brian Owler, has noted concerns. But he went on to say, as I said earlier, that the important thing is the minister is leading the way, in terms of the consultation, to look at how we make the system sustainable. Unlike the senator, those across the sector, including those like Professor Brian Owler, recognise that we need to find ways to make the system sustainable and, indeed, are working constructively to do so. People across the profession, across the sector, have welcomed the consultation and welcome the opportunity to have input into ensuring that sustainability.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a further supplementary question. How can the government criticise the opposition party stating that doing nothing is not an option when, after a year of chaos and now four versions of health policy, the government's only health policy remains to continue the Labor Party's freeze on Medicare indexation?

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

I reject that. That is quite clearly not the only policy. The major policy that the senator has refused to indicate is the fact that this government has a policy—unlike those on the crossbenches—of making the health-care system sustainable. Those on the other side of the chamber might not care about economic responsibility. The Greens—when they were in partnership with the previous Labor government—left us a trajectory of debt of $667 billion. Our policy will, indeed, include economic responsibility—and that includes ensuring we make absolutely sure the health policy delivers a sustainable nature to this nation.

We are prepared to take that responsibility. The minister has indicated she will continue to consult. She has done so widely—broad ranging—up until this point in time, which has been very well received by the sector—indeed, by those right across the profession. She will continue to do so, so that we ensure that we get health policy right. (Time expired)