Russell Trood (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Macdonald and those on my right!

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I ask that Senator Macdonald be asked to withdraw those comments.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I could not hear the comments. I could hear sufficient noise that was disrupting the chamber but I could not hear the comments.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just want to object that that was completely below the belt by Senator Macdonald and he ought to be withdrawing them.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have no knowledge of what Senator Macdonald said. But I was concerned about order in the chamber such that Senator Trood could properly ask his question and be heard, and I was asking for order under that particular set of circumstances. Senator Trood, we will reset the clock so that your question can be heard.

Russell Trood (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for the opportunity, Mr President. My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Ludwig. Will the minister guarantee to the people of Queensland that the government will not break its pre-election promise, delivered by the Prime Minister himself, to maintain the Medicare safety net into the future with no qualifications?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If I can deal with the Medicare issue more broadly, the extended—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Medicare—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me finish my statement as to where I am going there. The extended Medicare safety net was introduced in 2004. The legislation introduced by the previous government at that time included a requirement for a review of the operation, effectiveness and implications of the act by an independent academic institution. The Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation at the University of Technology, Sydney, has been contracted by the department of health to undertake the review. It is expected that that review will be completed in mid-2009. The review report will be tabled in both houses of parliament. I note that the recently released interim report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission has indicated it will do more work on the safety net.

The government recognises that in the current economic climate many families are under significant pressure. For that reason the Rudd government is committed to retaining the Medicare safety net. The Rudd government is also committed to ensuring that the Medicare safety net meets its objective, which is to make necessary medical services more affordable to Australians. The point that we have made is that in this area we have done the hard work, we have looked at what we can do, and the government has recognised that in this current economic climate many families are under significant economic pressure—unlike those on the other side who seem to ignore the whole issue completely. This government is committed to retaining the Medicare safety net. Those opposite might be able to, in their question, indicate what they intend their policies will be when they—(Time expired)

Russell Trood (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I do not object to the minister dealing with the question ‘more broadly’, as he said, but I asked a very straightforward question about a guarantee. Let me try again, perhaps more specifically with this supplementary question. Will the minister guarantee that certain medical specialties, like gynaecology, obstetrics and IVF treatment, will not be excluded from the Medicare safety net?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If I could turn to the maternity services review report—and I am sure Senator Trood is familiar with it—it notes that a significant proportion of Commonwealth funding for obstetrics is through the safety net and that anecdotally there is some suggestion that it is not being dealt with well. Of course the government is concerned about the trends that have been highlighted in that report. We will consider this along with other recommendations. But let me be absolutely clear that, while we absolutely support the Medicare safety net, which provides important relief to families struggling with health costs, I would certainly be—and the health minister would be as well—very concerned if it were being rorted or otherwise being non-complied with. We would take a look at how to crack down on that, because that report did highlight, particularly in the obstetrics area, that there are problems—(Time expired)

Russell Trood (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At least, Mr President, he has acknowledged the concerns, and I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister guarantee to Queenslanders that the government is not going to seek to cut medical services of struggling Australians and their families to repair the fiscal damage caused by its reckless $52 billion cash splash?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wonder how that question relates to the first and supplementary questions. Let me reject outright the assertion that is included within that question. Senator Trood, you were not here or perhaps you might have read it.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Address the chair, Senator Ludwig.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry, Mr President. I am certain that Senator Trood was not here when the previous government ripped $1 billion out of the health system. That is what the previous government did. Senator Trood might want to go back and look at the record. Our record is quite clear on this. The Rudd government is committed to retaining the Medicare safety net. The Rudd government is rebuilding the health system with $64.4 billion in funding announced through the COAG meeting—$60.4 billion over five years for the national healthcare agreement, $500 million in 2008-09 for subacute beds, $1.1 billion to train more doctors, nurses and other health professionals. (Time expired)