Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Under the Liberals and Nationals, there was a decade of neglect and mismanagement of our healthcare services. The Liberals and the Nationals deliberately ran down Medicare and general practice, and made it harder and more expensive to see a doctor, particularly in outer suburbs and regional and rural communities. As a direct result, people were forced to present at emergency departments—because they had no other alternatives. How is the government making it easier for Australians to see a doctor, and how are we taking pressure off our hospitals?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Grogan, for the question. If the Senate would indulge me also to acknowledge former senator Evans, a former foreign minister who also has sat in this chair—it's very good to see you here.

Senator Grogan knows, as do all the senators on this side, that the Liberals and Nationals deliberately ran down Medicare for nine long years. Under them, they made it harder for Australians to see a doctor. They left a legacy of declining bulk-billing rates and doctor availability, thanks to their mismanagement and freeze of the Medicare rebate. Unlike those opposite, those on this side believe that Australians deserve access to universal, world-class medical care, and we are working to deliver that.

Our budget included over $6 billion to strengthen Medicare, with the centrepiece being a tripling of the bulk-billing incentive, the beating heart of Medicare. A Labor government invests more in bulk-billing, which we know is the heart of Medicare. This means a trip to the doctor is now cheaper for Australian families, with five million children under 16 benefiting. This will also help seven million pensioners and concession card holders. This boost to the bulk-billing incentive was the largest increase to the incentive in how long? In 40 years. In fact, this government is increasing Medicare rebates across the board by about $1.5 billion next year, so that next year we will deliver a bigger increase to Medicare rebates than those opposite delivered in their first seven years in government.

We're also growing the health workforce and supporting our trusted health workers to do what they're trained to do. In the time remaining, I haven't even got to the making-medicines-cheaper aspect of the government's policy— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Grogan, first supplementary?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Minister Wong. I wonder if you can explain to us further how the bulk-billing incentives that you referenced in your previous answer, and the changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule are going to help GPs provide more bulk-billed appointments to Australian families and particularly those who are doing it tough?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Grogan. As I said, the government is tripling the bulk-billing incentive for the care of children, which helps all Australian families, and also of concession card holders and pensioners. All Australian families deserve to have the confidence that, when a kid gets sick, they can go to a bulk-billing doctor. Our measures will also help millions of pensioners, self-funded retirees and concession card holders, taking the pressure off the cost of living.

The College of General Practitioners described the budget as a game changer, particularly with regard to bulk-billing of GP services. And, after nine years of cuts and the neglect of Medicare by those opposite, the reality is that general practice in this country is in crisis. But we know there is only one party of government that will ever be committed to ensuring that Medicare is strengthened and protected, and it is the Labor Party. One of the fundamental differences between the coalition, those opposite, and this side of the chamber is that, for us, Medicare— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Grogan, second supplementary?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, the ANAO report into community health and hospitals revealed more of the Morrison government's deliberate mismanagement of taxpayer money. What is the government doing to ensure that taxpayer money is invested in health care and is not wasted on further Liberal-National rorts?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is a very good question, Senator Grogan, and it's a reminder of just how many reports we've seen into the poor management of taxpayers' money by those opposite. The recently released National Audit Office report on the Community Health and Hospitals Program lays bare the rorts and mismanagement of the Morrison government, and it is scathing—$2 billion of taxpayer funding used as a slush fund by those opposite, without regard for proper process or good governance. As the report makes clear, the former government announced so many projects without assessment or guidance and at such speed the department was forced to monitor the media to know which projects had been selected. Seriously! Under their government, announcement was actually delivery—all they had to do was put out the press release! They did it so fast that the department was forced to look to the media to understand what was occurring. (Time expired)