That's true. But let us get back to these responses. Julie says: 'Absolutely disgusting, and most people don't even know about it. I've lost my husband, so, for one, will not be able to afford private health insurance. We've had private health insurance for nearly 40 years, and it's been a real struggle financially to continue over the last couple of years. This kind of legislation will force a whole lot more people into the public health system, which is clearly way overstretched. It doesn't make much sense.' Julie, I wish you had been elected to a seat in this place, perhaps over on the other side, or had been a member of the ERC or cabinet, because that kind of insight might have been helpful.

I'll continue. Ian says: 'This is madness. A lot of people over 65 will struggle to pay the extra premiums if it takes effect and put even more pressure on the public hospital system, which in the end will mean more money will have to be spent on the health outcomes for people that really need care. It'll be diminished, and there'll be less resources to go around again.' Ian gets it.

Chris says: 'Thank you for this info. Life under federal Labor is Albo-not-so-easy! This guy'—presumably he means the Prime Minister; I'll use his correct title—'surely will go down in history as Australia's worst prime minister. He's so far out of touch. Old-school Labor pollies must be turning in their graves.' I think what Chris is trying to say is the once-proud Labor Party has turned on older Australians.

'Hi Tony. Thank you so much for trying to help pensioners. It means so much to us. Keep up the fight.' Wayne's contribution—'Hi Tony. Signing a petition, which I've just done, I feel is a waste. The socialists control the system and don't like those of us who have operated outside their control for many years to accumulate funds to pay for private health cover, which the socialists want to abolish so that they can control us when we need health care. This won't change until socialist supporters realise the error of their ways and return the government that the voters lost big time.' Glenda said, 'Thank you for your concern about the unbelievable issue confronting us as pensioners who just survive fortnight to fortnight.' I don't think Glenda is someone who's well heeled. She's talking about living fortnight to fortnight. 'How would the Prime Minister manage for 14 days on what we get and the bills we have to pay? No idea, I guess.'

I'm reading some of these to make the point that Australians get this. Australians understand how mean-spirited this approach is. Australians understand this is a product of the politics of punishment. I just wonder whether those opposite get it. Unlike the member for Wannon, I'm encouraged by the fact that the Labor Party and members of the backbench are either embarrassed or unwilling to make contributions to this bill. That tells me that not the current alumni, the current leadership cohort that luxuriate on the frontbench during question time and occupy the ministerial suites, but perhaps those that sit behind them are still devotees of a Labor Party that cares about older Australians. Perhaps today, on world democracy day, those people who are too embarrassed to come in here and defend the position that's been determined by others, the exalted few that sit on that frontbench, understand that their responsibility in being in government is not just to govern for those Australians that voted for them but rather to govern for all Australians, including those that perhaps the pollsters tell us disproportionately don't vote for them.

I might end with this, a final contribution from Malcolm, living in the Riverland. 'I often wonder about the intelligence of those that voted for those opposite. Not many of the federal Labor politicians that I can see have ever held a real job in their lives. In my instance, I've wanted to be completely independent of government, and I've had private health insurance for 60 years.' Those opposite are driving Malcolm and others like him out of private health insurance. (Time expired)