Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to acknowledge the extraordinary services and sacrifices of Australian veterans and members of the Australian Defence Force and the immense contribution they and their families make to our nation. The coalition strongly opposes Labor's $5,000 annual cap on veterans allied health services. These supports are essential, including psychology, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and occupational therapy, and help veterans manage the physical and psychological impacts of their service. For many, this care is not occasional. It's ongoing and life sustaining. A cap like this risks delaying treatment, reduces appointments and ultimately worsens health outcomes, placing greater pressure on families, community services and our hospitals.

At the same time, older Australians are already under significant cost-of-living pressures. Labor's proposed changes to private health insurance rebates for people over 65 will increase premiums for around 1.4 million seniors. That means some will be forced to downgrade or even drop their cover altogether, shifting pressure back onto our already stretched hospital system.

We should be strengthening healthcare support, not making it harder to access care and not making more expensive to stay covered. I'll continue to stand up for veterans, and I'll continue to stand up for seniors in the electorate of Wright and oppose every change, every step of the way. Today, Labor is pushing tax hikes on millions of Australians through its new laws. We will oppose them. (Time expired)

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