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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health. Minister, the GP bulk-billing rate was 86 per cent in December 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. What is the bulk-billing rate now?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ruston. It is good to see the interest in health, and I am certainly interested to know more about your position on Medicare. There is certainly no higher priority for this government in the health portfolio than strengthening Medicare and rebuilding general practice. After nine years of cuts and neglect by the former government, primary care was in the worst shape it had been in in 40 years and bulk-billing rates were in freefall. The former government froze the Medicare rebate for six years, ripping billions of dollars out of primary care and causing gap fees—

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

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Ruston?

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

It's a point of order on relevance. My question was very tight. It was in relation to what the bulk-billing rate is today. I'd ask you to bring the minister's attention back to my question.

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

The first part of your question went to bulk-billing rates before COVID. I believe the minister is being relevant. I will continue listening carefully.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the 2024-25 budget and 2024-25 MYEFO, the government provided $34.8 million over two years for the general practice incentives fund—

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

Minister McCarthy, please resume your seat. Senator Cash?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a point of order on relevance. A little like the housing question, our questions are drafted quite specifically.

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

Senator Cash, you need to just get to the point of order.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're asking for figures. The question says: the bulk-billing rate—what is it now?

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

Yes, Senator Cash, and, as I just explained to Senator Ruston, it also made reference to rates before COVID. Minister Wong?

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

President, I'd also submit to you that policy which is about addressing bulk-billing rates is entirely relevant to the answer. I know that the coalition may not like the fact that we are actually working to lift bulk-billing, but the minister is going directly to policies that are about bulk-billing.

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

Thank you, Minister Wong. As I said to Senator Ruston, Senator Cash, on the same point of order, the minister is being relevant. I'll continue to listen carefully.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We've tripled the investment. We've seen a turnaround in bulk-billing, a national increase—

Opposition senators interjecting—

If you'd let me finish—a national increase of 1.9 percentage points in the 14 months—

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

Minister McCarthy, please resume your seat. I have Senator Wong on her feet.

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

I ask if the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate could come to order.

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

I would like everyone in the chamber to come to order, particularly those on my left.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, we have tripled the investment, and it's 77.5 per cent.

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

Senator Ruston, first supplementary?

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

I thank the senator for eventually answering the question. So, yes, the bulk-billing rate that was announced—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order on my right and left!

Senator Cash, come to order.

The:

Senator Ayres, order! Senator Ruston has the right to ask her question in silence. I expect there to be silence as Senator Ruston continues with her question.

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

Well, correct: the minister announced yesterday that the GP bulk-billing rate had increased to 77.5 per cent. Can you confirm that the bulk-billing rate in March was actually 77.7 per cent?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This from a shadow health minister who didn't want to believe, and didn't believe, that Medicare was sustainable. I'm not too sure, but what I can confirm to the Senate is that, six months before the last election, the financial viability of general practice was in serious trouble after the coalition's six-year freeze on Medicare rebates that started when Peter Dutton was health minister.

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

Senator Ruston, second supplementary?

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

Just for the record, in the timeframe the minister was referring to, the bulk-billing rate was 88 per cent to the time she was referring to. But right now Australians—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

The:

Order! I have requested of this chamber, at least three times today, that senators ask their questions in silence. I don't want to have to keep saying that.

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

Australians are paying ever-increasing out-of-pocket costs when they visit their doctor. Can you confirm that the average out-of-pocket cost when you see your doctor today is now $44.89?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can confirm to the Senate that this side of the Senate is very much interested in pushing for further GPs across the country and improving Medicare, unlike those opposite, who had nothing to do with it but wanting to freeze it and who don't care about the health of Australians, in spite of the numbers that they wish to put forward here today.