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

Thanks to Senator Marielle Smith for her question and for her focus on health costs and affordable health care for Australians. She is a member of a government and a party that understands what Medicare is. We understand what Medicare is and, unlike those opposite, we will always work to strengthen Medicare. That is why our government has worked to make medicines cheaper, has worked to increase bulk-billing, has established urgent care clinics to help patients access the care they need and is strengthening Medicare.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How's that going? Increase bulk-billing? It's gone backwards by 11 per cent.

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

I'll take the interjection from Senator Ruston. We know her record when it comes to this. We remember her in this chamber giving everyone in Australia a lecture about how we have to make Medicare more sustainable: 'That's why we can't put more money into it. We have to cut more, or we have to charge you more.'

This year, this government froze the price of PBS medicines for general patients until the end of 2025 and at $7.70 for concession patients until the end of 2029. We have delivered the largest price reduction in the 75-year history of the PBS. Australians have saved billions on cheaper prescriptions since January 2023, in part because of the introduction of 60-day prescriptions for around 300 common medicines. Who opposed that?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You cannot lie. You cannot lie.

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

Who is now shouting at me and pretending they care about Medicare, after voting for more expensive medicines for Australians? That is you, Senator Ruston.

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Ruston, withdraw that comment.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the interests of the chamber, I withdraw.

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

Thank you.

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

Cheaper medicines under us—more expensive medicines under them.

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

Senator Marielle Smith, first supplementary?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's gone backwards by 11 per cent.

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

Senator Ruston, I'm calling on you to at least be quiet while the question is asked.

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

When we came to government, bulk-billing was falling off a cliff because of their six-year freeze on Medicare rebates. We have a different approach. On 1 November last year, Labor tripled the bulk-billing incentive, the largest investment in bulk-billing in Medicare's history, with 103,000 additional bulk-billed appointments per week. Senator Ruston said at the time, she claimed, that this 'would not result in a single additional patient being bulk-billed'. That's what she said. Sorry, you're wrong. In fact, in South Australia, in the home state that you and I share, there have been 460,000 additional visits.

Let's talk about Medicare urgent care clinics. Of the 900,000 visits to these clinics, every single visit is completely bulk-billed. Mr Dutton didn't want any of those visits. Senator Ruston, you can yell 'wrong' all you like but you voted against cheaper medicines and you are against bulk-billing—demonstrated by your record.

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

Senator Ruston! I have lost count of the number of times I've called you to order. If you can't sit in here in silence, please leave the chamber. Senator Marielle Smith, a second supplementary?

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

Well, those opposite are opposed to cheaper medicines, they are opposed to investments in bulk-billing and they are opposed to urgent care clinics. Are they just opposed to Medicare? That's the question people want to know. But what we know is Mr Dutton arrogantly puts political battles ahead of helping people. He stands in the way of a more affordable healthcare system after a decade he spent trashing the system. Let's remember, when Mr Dutton was health minister, he tried to get rid of bulk-billing in this country altogether. Honestly, I know you're embarrassed by it. Mr Dutton, as health minister, tried to remove bulk-billing in this country altogether. No amount of shouting over me is going to absolve them of their history because it goes to their character and it goes to their agenda. You are not supporters of Medicare.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order across the chamber. Order!

Honourable senators interjecting—

I'm still waiting for order. You've got one of your own senators on his feet waiting to ask a question. I want silence, thank you, Senator Ayres.