Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) figures released by the Department of Health this week show that people living in regional Australia are less likely to be bulk-billed for a GP visit, compared with those living in metropolitan cities,

(ii) people living in regional Australia pay more to access a GP, and that their out-of-pocket costs have increased since the 2016 election,

(iii) people living in regional Australia are around 20 per cent more likely to skip or delay seeing a GP because of the cost,

(iv) electorates held by The Nationals have some of the lowest bulk-billing rates in the country, including the electorates of Page ranked 104th, Flynn ranked 111th, Capricornia ranked 112th, and Dawson ranked 115th,

(v) more than 550 000 Australians living in electorates held by The Nationals will pay more tax under The Nationals' plan to unfairly increase the Medicare levy on low-income earners,

(vi) the Government is yet to lift any part of their Medicare freeze – rebates for GPs, specialists and allied health services all remain frozen, and

(vii) the Government's freeze is doing $2.2 billion in damage to Medicare – a cut to the pockets of patients every time they visit a GP, every time they visit a specialist, and every time they receive a Medicare allied health service;

(b) calls on the Government to guarantee:

(i) immediate and annual indexation of Medicare rebates that have been frozen by this Government,

(ii) proper Commonwealth investment in public hospitals, so that all Australians can access acute care without financial or other barriers, and

(iii) that savings from the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review and agreements with stakeholders will be reinvested in Medicare, and not used as an excuse for further cuts; and

(c) condemns the Government for neglecting vital Medicare services in rural and regional Australia.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition government has just announced record high bulk-billing rates, at 85.9 per cent, up from 82.2 per cent in 2012-13. We have compacts with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Australian Medical Association to restore indexation, investing $1 billion from 1 July 2017. The coalition government is delivering record investment in Medicare, rising from $23 billion in 2017-18 to $28 billion in 2020-21, up from $19 billion in 2012-13 under Labor. Commonwealth funding for state and territory hospitals is also at record levels. In the regions, bulk-billing rates continue to grow, year on year. We have recently appointed Australia's first National Rural Health Commissioner and announced additional support for rural telehealth services.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 609 standing in the name of Senator Watt be agreed to.

Senator Dodson did not vote, to compensate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Parry

Senator Farrell did not vote, to compensate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Nash

Senator Smith did not vote, to compensate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Xenophon

Derryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move that general business notice of motion No. 604 be recommitted.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 604 be agreed to.

Senator Dodson did not vote, to compensate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Parry

Senator Farrell did not vote, to compensate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Nash

Senator Smith did not vote, to compensate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Xenophon