Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to take a question from my friend the member for Chifley. Just to make sure that there is no further confusion on the side of the Labor Party, which is having trouble following, the co-payment, as the Prime Minister announced yesterday, is dead. I repeat: the GP co-payment is dead. In the context of further consultations, the bulk-billing rate is important, but, Member for Chifley, it might be that every single bulk-billed person that you mention should continue to be bulk-billed, because I am aware that you represent a fairly disadvantaged electorate—not everybody, but your indicators of disadvantage are higher than for some of your surrounding suburbs. That means that, when we look at policy, we need to make sure that the disadvantaged constituents that you represent, those on concession cards, are bulk-billed. We need to make sure that we protect bulk-billing for the vulnerable, but we also need to make sure, without picking on electorates or individuals, that those of us who represent areas where incomes are higher and capacity to pay is higher should make sure that policy reflects that those with the ability to pay a modest contribution towards their visits to the doctor continue to do that.

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