Mary Doyle (Aston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Two weeks ago, the Minister for Health and Ageing announced that there had been over two million visits to Medicare urgent care clinics across the country. This means that over two million Australians have been able to walk into one of these clinics and get the care they needed without paying one cent. From cuts and burns to sprains and infections, Australians are getting free health care closer to home when they need it. Since being elected, the Albanese Labor government has opened urgent care clinics right across the country, including the Bayswater urgent care clinic in my own electorate of Aston. And the good news is that there are even more of these clinics on the way.

Also on the way, from 1 November, is a major boost in payments to general practices that bulk-bill every patient. Our investment will deliver an additional 18 million bulk-billed GP visits every year, nationwide, with nine out of 10 GP visits being bulk-billed by 2030. Australians know that, when it comes to investing in the health care of Australians, they can only trust a Labor government. On this side of the House, we know that, when it comes to getting quality health care close to home, all you need, or all you should need, is your Medicare card—not your credit card.

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