Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Providing accessible health care is a critical role for government, and to that end I welcome the government's boost to the bulk-billing incentive. But recent claims that the boost has led to a 'surge' in bulk-billing GPs in Tasmania is, at best, overegged—at worst, downright dishonest. No wonder the RACGP tell me they're not anticipating anything like a surge in bulk-billing in the state, especially in the cities, where the rebates and extra incentives fall well short of what's needed. No wonder GPs themselves tell me the only way to make bulk-billing viable is to see more patients in less time, which is especially concerning for Tasmanians, given our ageing population, high levels of chronic disease and poor mental health. These are not consultations that can be sped up.

My office took the government's advice to search the Healthdirect website for a bulk-billing doctor in the Hobart area and found just one non-urgent care clinic that accepts new patients. In other words, all this talk about only needing a Medicare card to see a doctor is just more political spin. Of course I welcome the government's focus on strengthening primary care, but I don't support its parsimonious approach. We're a rich country and can afford to do better. It's all about priorities.

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