Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

We also visited the South Coast Pharmacy. At the South Coast Pharmacy he heard how the government's partnership with the Pharmacy Guild will be delivering more services for local residents directly through our support for Medicare and our support for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Just today, the member was one of those who lent her support—I have discussed this with her—for the Treasurer's bill to guarantee Medicare. We are guaranteeing Medicare, with the bill the Treasurer brought in today, not just for a short period of time but forever.

Beyond that, we are also guaranteeing the NDIS. As part of the guarantee for the NDIS, I want to go back to the first time a 0.5 per cent levy was introduced. We have heard about the member for Lilley's comments on this. The bill to bring in the 0.5 per cent levy at the time was brought in by the then Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, who said:

This reform will provide peace of mind to all Australians that if they or a loved one acquire a disability, they will be supported.

The Leader of the Opposition may not have heard what she said, but you can bet he believed in it at the time.

I can tell you this, Mr Speaker: whilst his hearing may have changed since then, the reality of the matter has not. We know that 100 per cent of Labor members believed it was the right thing to do at that time. We know that 75 per cent of Labor shadow ministers believe it is the right thing to do at the present time. My bet is that the vast majority of people on their back bench also believe that the NDIS levy is the right thing to do at this time. They know it. The disability sector also believes it. Here is what the Disability Advocacy Network said:

It seems to us that people do understand that it's a fair way to do it, because the Medicare levy is paid in proportion to people's income … It is not an unreasonable way to pay for something that befits everyone in the country.

That is what the Disability Advocacy Network says.

The truth is this: it was the right thing to do at the time and it was the fair thing to do at the time. It is still the fair thing to do at this time. If you believe in the NDIS, support our levy. (Time expired)

See this speech in context