Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister outline to the House how the government is moving to protect the universality of Medicare and strengthen our health system?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question and I thank her very much for the work that she does, particularly in relation to FASD.

Mr Husic interjecting—

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

The member for Chifley is warned! You are warned.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

She is a leader in that area, and I acknowledge the very important work that she does. The universality of Medicare is important, and this is what the Hawke government had to say when they introduced a co-payment: 'The government has not changed the universality of Medicare.

Mr Champion interjecting—

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

The member for Wakefield! You are the worst serial offender!

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Medicare services have always been financed by a combination of tax and the Medicare levy based on the relative capacity to pay, and, secondly, patient co-payments, which may of course be waived at the doctor's discretion.'

Mr Champion interjecting—

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

The member for Wakefield is warned.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reality is that, when the Hawke government introduced a co-payment, they did so because they wanted to see Medicare sustainable. Labor can pretend that they can rack up debt for ever more, that they can give free services to all Australians, and that somehow the party can continue on. The reality is—and the Australian people know this: it can't; it just can't. Ten years ago we were spending $8 billion a year on Medicare; today we are spending $20 billion a year. As a Commonwealth, we spend $65 billion a year on health; the Medicare levy raises $10 billion. I want to make sure that, as our population ages, and as we get medical services, new technologies, DNA testing and genomics testing—all of this, which will be important for us to fund into the future—we have a sustainable Medicare.

The Labor Party believed in well-thought-out public policy, once upon a time. When Labor were in government, they put money into GP super clinics. They put it into wasteful programs, including increasing the number of people in the health bureaucracy. But it was not always the case. Back in the Hawke years, Jenny Macklin, as the head of the policy department that advised Brian Howe at that point, said that a co-payment was necessary to make Medicare sustainable. They do not like it but it is true.

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not true!

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. I refer to a new standing order which was introduced after the election, for which currently there is no precedent. Under the amendment to standing order 68:

If a Member has given a personal explanation to correct a misrepresentation and another Member subsequently repeats the matter complained of, the Speaker may intervene.

The Minister for Health is now precisely providing information which the member for Jagajaga has previously explained to the House is false. And I do ask you, on that basis, to intervene.

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

I would say that the member for Jagajaga has been interjecting saying misrepresentation and I have pointed out to her that there are other forms of the House to deal with that question. However, on the question of standing order 68, I will consider the implications of standing order 68 and not rule on it straightaway, but in the interim the Minister for Health has the call.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All I can go to are the words of Brian Howe, the then health minister, who introduced a co-payment and relied upon advice from the then head of the health directory within the Labor Party, Jenny Macklin. Brian Howe introduced a co-payment. Bob Hawke supported a co-payment, because he wanted sustainability of Medicare.

We know the member for Fraser—he is in some sort of protection racket at the moment; he has not been out in the press—was a daily offender out there in front of the cameras; he loves the cameras. But they have had him in hiding for the last week. We know, as the son of Bob Hawke, he is here as the defender-in-chief of Medicare's sustainability. He wants a co-payment. He has written about it, and the Labor Party should listen to one of their up-and-coming member's wise views within the Labor Party. He deserves listening to. (Time expired)