House debates

Wednesday, 31 August 2016

Questions without Notice

Medicare

2:45 pm

Photo of Sussan LeySussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Sport) Share this | Hansard source

It is a great pleasure to take a question from the member for Bennelong, whose work on medicines and pharmacy is well known in this place. The member for Bennelong knows only too well something that underscores this government's commitment to health care—in particular, the sustainability of Medicare and the PBS—and that is that, in the last three years of coalition government, we have listed three times as many medicines as Labor did, at a cost of $4.5 billion. In fact, a health minister in the Labor government refused to list the recommendations of an expert committee because, remember, what you cannot pay for, you cannot deliver.

It is interesting, because this morning we dealt, in the first order of business, with bullying and thuggery on building sites across Australia; and, really, that was matched, well matched, by the bullying, thuggery and intimidation from Labor's union mates during the election campaign when it came to Medicare—sanctioned, endorsed, by members in this place, I am sure. And the reason I am sure is that, when the Leader of the Opposition was asked on 7.30

Ms Collins interjecting

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