Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Deputy Chairman , Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Hansard source

In following the eloquent contribution of the member for Grey on the Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2011, I also support the second reading amendment of the Leader of the Opposition. I also support the contributions of all of those on this side of the House who have spoken on the bill. In a few minutes I will address some of the key concerns but, as the member for Grey pointed out, this side of the House has outlined in great detail the arguments about why this legislation will be so damaging. I want to deal with this debate in a couple of parts. I want to focus on the betrayal and then on the detrimental effect this legislation will have on private health insurance and on the public system—the detrimental effect it will have on health across Australia.

On this side of the House it has been said, quite rightly, that those opposite have always hated private health insurance. It is important to go back, because when the private health insurance rebate was introduced it had an immediate positive effect on private health insurance numbers. Those opposite knew that their deep opposition to it, their deep desire to rescind it, was not sustainable in the public arena. So, not only did those opposite promise before the 2004 and 2007 elections to maintain that policy position, which was introduced by the Howard government, but also they went out of their way, they bent over backwards, to tell the Australian people that the policies would be maintained. They did so in the full knowledge that fessing up before winning government was politically unsustainable and that once in government they would start to move away and perform their act of betrayal on the Australian public.

To comprehend the gravity of this betrayal it is necessary to go back, as previous speakers have done. The Leader of the Opposition pointed out late this afternoon the litany of quotes from previous Labor health spokespeople, including the now Prime Minister, whom he quoted as saying was sick and tired of being asked over and over again for Labor to maintain their commitment. The reason they were asked over and over again was that we knew in our heart of hearts that they had their fingers crossed behind their backs on this policy issue. They knew they would say one thing before the election but in government they would act to betray the promise they made.

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