Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

Even if it is good-humoured, I have to say I think it is a sad reflection that those opposite are only interested in talking about football when they have the opportunity to debate about our private health system and our public health system. I really think it is fairly pathetic.

The other thing that the shadow minister refused to mention and did not actually want to look at during his entire debate, where you might have expected that he would talk about those in the community who he thinks will be most affected by these changes, are the tax cuts that are being delivered by the government on 1 July in advance of these measures coming through. If the shadow minister wants to be honest about the impact on families, he should look up the tax scale of those who earn $120,000 as a single or $240,000 as a couple. When they stop receiving support for their private health insurance rebate, depending on the product that they have—anywhere between $300 to $500—most of them will receive three, four or five times that amount in a tax cut. You cannot in these circumstances say that these people will not be able, either on their ordinary income or when they take account of the benefits provided by the tax cuts, to afford to keep their private health insurance.

But we agree with those opposite that we want to keep people in private health insurance. That is why we are increasing the ‘stick’ if people on high incomes choose not to take out private health insurance. But that has not been mentioned even though it is a key part of the changes that we are making. Ultimately, I am disappointed that the shadow minister, with an opportunity to talk about serious health issues, came in and talked down the public health system. He wants to scare those eight million people who will not be affected in any way by these changes. He wants to pretend that we are not still spending billions of dollars every year on the private health insurance rebate when we are. He honestly wants the public to believe—(Time expired)

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