Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Modelling shows that the government's proposed GP tax will put additional costs on hospitals and will increase waiting times in emergency departments. Is the Prime Minister aware that the proposed tax could triple waiting times in emergency departments? Prime Minister, will you guarantee that the GP tax will not increase emergency waiting time in WA hospitals?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is good to get a question from the member for Perth. I apologise because I actually misled the House earlier, inadvertently, when I referred to the member for Fremantle wanting to get rid of the mining tax. I suspect she does want to get rid of the mining tax, but only the member for Perth was brave enough today to say to the caucus, 'The mining tax is an anti-Western Australian tax and it should be repealed.' She is right. I am pleased that the member for Perth is against harmful taxes. So am I, and there is no such tax planned.