Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It was really interesting. I listened to the member for Barker last night, and he was consumed with talking about efficiencies. Health care is not about efficiencies; it is about providing affordable health care. Those on the other side of this House are very much into efficiency but very short when it comes to looking after and providing services to people. These small government people believe that Medicare is something which should be removed, and as such they water it down to only support the most disadvantaged. This legislation is bad legislation. It is ill-thought-out legislation. It is legislation that has been developed without proper consultation. It is also legislation that we on this side of the House cannot support. But we do acknowledge that there is always room to look at changes around the safety net. But these are bad changes and they are done without proper consultation and they need to be condemned. (Time expired)

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