Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Saved by the bell on that one, I think! Speaker, I'll tell you who loves Medicare urgent care clinics. It's the great state of Victoria. Victorians love Medicare urgent care clinics. In fact, there have been 393,000 presentations to urgent care clinics by the great people of Victoria. But I'll tell you who doesn't like Medicare urgent care clinics: the Liberal Party. The Leader of the Opposition says the Liberal Party believes you don't value something unless you pay for it. Fair dinkum! And they went even further. The shadow minister for health and aged care said during the election, 'We never said that Australians will get access to free GP services without exception.' Goodness me! They are walking well away from Medicare urgent care clinics—but not all of them. There is a Victorian among their ranks who said something different. He said bulk-billing services ensure 'everyone in our community can access affordable health care' in his petition for a Medicare urgent care clinic. It was the member for Casey. We know he really wants to be on this side of the House. But he understands, just like all Victorians, the importance of Medicare urgent care clinics. They know that the Labor Party is the party of Medicare. We know that we will always support Victorians and all Australians in getting high-quality health care in this country. (Time expired)

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