House debates Business

Consideration of Legislation

Monday, 14 September 2026 House of Representatives

Melissa McIntosh

Melissa McIntosh Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

3:43 pm

It's going to go all the way through the system. Anyone that wants private health insurance—their premiums will be up. And, as you said, Mr Hogan—that's exactly right. Most importantly of all, our public health systems are under so much pressure. In outer metro areas like mine in Western Sydney, the hospitals are bursting at the seams. To have more pressure on our public hospitals—how can the Minister for Health stand, look the Australian people in the eye and say: 'This is the right decision. We are going to put more pressure on our already overstretched public health system, a public health system that everyday Australians rely on.' We already know the waitlists are extremely long to get into any elective surgery. We know that, when you go to an emergency room, it can be hours to wait. I know a woman who took her son, and he was vomiting up black the other day. They had to wait in the waiting room of the emergency department for over 11 hours.

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