Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. The Minister for Communications told Alan Jones this morning, in a truly outstanding interview:

No-one wants to pay more money to go to the doctor. Nobody wants to pay more tax. No-one wants to pay more at the petrol bowser.

If Malcolm Turnbull can admit that the Prime Minister's budget of broken promises is hurting Australians, why can't the rest of your team?

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

I will let the question stand.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I cannot get over about the Leader of the Opposition is his double standards. I know that he sets one rule for others—

Ms Macklin interjecting—

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

The member for Jagajaga will desist!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and Labor behave a different way themselves. When Labor were in government, it was quite acceptable for there to be a co-payment on pharmaceuticals. When Labor were in government, they were happy to send market signals that we needed to make sure that we could manage future demand in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Ms King interjecting—

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

The member for Ballarat will desist!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over $30 was the market signal for people not on benefit cards, and even for those that were on benefit cards there was a $6 market signal. Why is it acceptable to pay $6 for a bottle of pills but $7 to visit a doctor is unacceptable? The Labor Party are so full of double standards that any commentary they want to make on health issues is simply not worth listening to. Their dishonesty, their unwillingness to accept the fact that what we have to do is make sure that our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is affordable in the future—that was a philosophy that they supported when they were in government.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

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

The member for Rankin will remember that he is warned!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Now that they are in opposition, they do not think it is important to make sure that the Medicare scheme is sustainable. Now that they are in opposition they do not care about how we as a nation are going to manage to deal with our responsibilities to older Australians and those who are sick and disabled into the future. What we have is a budget plan that will help ensure—

Mr Burke interjecting—

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

The member for Watson will desist!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

that health costs are sustainable for the future and that all Australians can expect to have the support from their government when they need it.