Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Casey for his question. I can inform him and the House that, thanks to the private health insurance rebate, nearly nine million Australians have affordable access to the private hospital system. That means they are far less likely to be competing for a place in very crowded public hospital queues. Fifty-six per cent of all surgery is now done in private hospitals. That is over one million procedures which would otherwise have to be done in the public system but for the government’s support for private health insurance.

I am afraid few members opposite appreciate the importance of the private health insurance rebate—but not the member for Hotham. The member for Hotham said when he was the leader of the Labor Party:

... I am absolutely committed to keeping the private health rebate.

It is payback time now. Today’s Australian quotes one preselector as saying:

Simon Crean’s interpreter rang last night and said please, please. And then Hong Lim rang nearly at midnight ...

... Hong Lim, he says that Labor has lost four times to the Liberal Party and it’s why we need a new person—

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