Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Bulk-billing rates are going up across the Hunter, and this did not happen by chance. It came from the biggest investment in Medicare in Australia's history. We chose to support our local GPs, strengthen primary care and make it easier for people to see a doctor without worrying about the cost. In the Hunter, we're already seeing the results of this. There are now 27 GP clinics that are fully bulk-billing. This means families can get care when they need it, where they need it. Pensioners do not have to delay treatment either. Young people can look after their health without financial stress. This is about getting Medicare back to what it should be. It should be for everybody, it should be easy to access and it should be fair.

But there is still more to do. In the Lake Macquarie area, access is not what it should be. That is why I'm working closely with the minister to make sure these improvements reach all parts of our community. We are not saying the job is done, but we are getting on with it. We are strengthening Medicare, we are supporting doctors and we are helping with the cost of living by improving everybody's health care, because in the Hunter and across Australia health care should be based on what you need, not on what you can afford. That is what people expect and that is what we are delivering.

Only an Albanese Labor government really cares about Medicare. That's why we will continue to invest in it, and we'll continue to invest in areas like the Hunter.

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