Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

There was an awkward moment where the member for Dickson said that this government's ambition is to get to nine out of 10 visits bulk-billed by 2030—that's their ambition. The awkward part about that is that's roughly 90 per cent of visits bulk-billed, which is, coincidently, the exact number of bulk-billing rates under the former coalition government when this prime minister took over—90 per cent in the data. The whole ambition of this government is to match what the former coalition government did. The reality is that, under this government, from the facts by the department of health, not my facts—very independent—is that bulk-billing rates have plummeted under this prime minister and under this government's watch. That is the reality they do not like to admit.

In my community, it has gone from 84.3 per cent in 2019 in the Yarra ranges in the electorate of Casey—in 2023, under the Albanese Labor government, it dropped to 73.2 per cent in my community. My community knows that this prime minister might hold up a Medicare card, but he's not delivering when it comes to health. It really sums up everything that is wrong about this government and this prime minister. It is big on spin and it is big on optics and it is low on delivery. It does not deliver for the Australian people. The Prime Minister stood, during the campaign, and said, 'All you will need is your Medicare card,' knowing that that is not true, deliberately misleading the Australian people, because the Minister for Health and Ageing confirmed that you would still need your credit card to go to the GP. This is what this prime minister does. He spins. It's now about $50 short that you need to go to the GP, because, on average, it costs $50.49 to see a GP under this government.

This is the same prime minister that was very happy to cut the Medicare funded mental health sessions for Australians from 20 to 10. One day, he stands up and holds a Medicare card, talking about how important Medicare is, and, the next day, he makes the heartless decision to cut Medicare funded mental health sessions from 20 to 10, abandoning the Australian people when they need it the most. Coming out of the pandemic, cost-of-living pressures, young people struggling with mental health, needing the support—what does this prime minister do? He heartlessly cuts that support for the Australian people. He's happy to say one thing but delivers the complete opposite for Australians.

What are we seeing for Australians now? Not only is bulk-billing harder to get; fewer and fewer people are going to the doctor to get the medical support they need, because they can't afford it. Under this government and this prime minister, 10,000 GP visits are cancelled and delayed every day because the Australian people cannot afford it. What is the health impact of that? For those single mums who need to see a GP to maybe get a breast scan or to get something else—what is the long-term health impact on our communities and families of people not being able to afford to see a GP? That is the lived reality of 10,000 Australians every day.

Each week, 70,000 Australians cannot afford to get the medical help that they need, yet this prime minister and those opposite have the gall to stand up here and talk about how important Medicare is despite it failing under their watch. That is the most frustrating part about this prime minister. This prime minister lives in an alternative reality. He talks a big game but fails to deliver, and, when this prime minister spins but doesn't deliver, it's my community in Casey—it's communities across the country—that pays the price. Spin doesn't get it delivered for the Australian people. Whether it's health, energy bills or the cost of living, this prime minister always fails to deliver for the Australian people, and you pay the price.

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