House debates
Thursday, 13 August 2026
Matters of Public Importance
Senior Australians
3:48 pm
Ash Ambihaipahar (Barton, Australian Labor Party) | Hansard source
I have the opportunity to reflect a little bit on the member for Mallee's comments today in respect of this MPI. Her tone was quite disturbing, and her comments continue division—but this is between the old and the young. I'm tired of this.
The reality is I cared for my grandparents, particularly my grandfather, who recently passed away. During the time when the coalition was in power, we suddenly watched the decline of bulk-billing in the area of Hurstville, which is in my electorate. It is a big issue. Running as the candidate for Barton, I found that being able to access bulk-billing services was a big issue, particularly for older people in my community. That decline was a result of the coalition not investing in health. The reality is, reflecting on the member of Mallee's comments today, particularly those putting down our health system—no-one is saying it's perfect, not at all. But it has taken an Albanese Labor government to invest fully to make it better after a decade of neglect. I'll take the eye roll from the member of Mallee as well. When she talks down the nurses that work at St George Hospital, she talks down the doctors who work there as well. She also talks down the aged-care workers in the aged-care services in my electorate.
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