Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question again is to the Prime Minister. I refer to his government's $3.5 billion so-called price signal to deter Australians from visiting their GP and using pathology and medical imaging services. Does the Prime Minister know how many pap smears and prostate examinations will be avoided because the government's GP tax discourages patients from seeing their doctor?

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

It is very important that we make Medicare sustainable for the long term. That is what we are trying to do. It is very important that we make Medicare sustainable for the long term. What this government will not do is do what members opposite have done for far too long and pretend that we can continue to borrow at unsustainable rates to provide services that simply cannot be afforded.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It was a very simple question: how many pap smears and prostate examinations?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Ballarat will resume her seat. Once you use the mantra in your question it opens it right up. The Prime Minister has the call.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Madam Speaker, on a question where there is some sort of argument at the end, I respect that ruling. But there is no argument in this question—absolutely none.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The mantra was at the end of the question. There is no point of order. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

There is nothing wrong with a co-payment.

Ms King interjecting—

The shadow minister who is yelling across the table thinks that it is perfectly fair to have a co-payment for the PBS, does she not? Suddenly, for once, that shadow minister is silent. For once that shadow minister is silent. It is perfectly fair, is it not—

Ms King interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Ballarat has asked her question. We will have some silence.

Ms King interjecting—

There is no provision for you to be asked a question—until you are on this side.

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

It is perfectly fair to have a co-payment for PBS drugs. Members opposite introduced a co-payment for the PBS. They introduced a co-payment for Medicare. If a co-payment for the PBS is perfectly fair enough, why is there something fundamentally wrong with a co-payment for Medicare?

Members opposite do not like me quoting the Labor Assistant Treasurer on one subject. Let me quote him again:

FAR too often ... proponents of social change call for a return to old-style tax and spend policies, large government handouts and government intervention in the economy … Unfortunately, this brand of well-intentioned social and economic Luddism would visit yet more suffering and exclusion on those very people in need of assistance.

Government members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be quiet on my right.

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

Madam Speaker, he is right about co-payments and he is right about the economic policies of his own colleagues—economic Luddism. We cannot afford to go on in this way anymore—and, as far as this government is concerned, we never ever will.