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

My question is to the Prime Minister. The government is hitting Australians with a $7 GP tax. Now that the Treasurer has confirmed the government is looking at further cuts, when will the Prime Minister be introducing a $15 GP tax as recommended by the government's Commission of Audit?

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

The government does believe there should be a modest co-payment on visits to GPs. That has been absolutely crystal clear for some time now. Former Prime Minister Hawke was the father of the Medicare co-payment; the member for Jagajaga was the mother of the Medicare co-payment; the member for Fraser is the son of the Medicare co-payment.

Ms Macklin interjecting—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. Before I give the call to the member for Jagajaga, I would simply say to the Prime Minister that under standing order 68, by saying that the member for Jagajaga is 'the mother', he is breaching the standing order. However, if he says that she was the chairman of the committee that recommended that, then that is in order. The Prime Minister can withdraw his statement and rephrase it if he wishes.

Mr Shorten interjecting—

The Leader of the Opposition will desist.

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

If I have transgressed, then I withdraw and I apologise. But the only political party that has actually introduced a co-payment in this country is, in fact, the Labor Party. They introduced a co-payment because they wanted to make Medicare sustainable. That is why they introduced a co-payment; that is why the Labor's Assistant Treasurer says, 'But there is a better way of operating a health system.' Let me repeat that:

But there is a better way of operating a health system and the change should hardly hurt at all. … the ideal model involves a small co-payment—not enough to put a dent in your weekly budget, but enough to make you think twice before you call the doc.

This hardly radical idea—this idea which is enshrined in precedent from the Hawke Labor government—is something that this government does support. I say to members opposite: if it is right and proper to have a modest co-payment on the PBS, how can it be wrong and improper to have a modest co-payment on Medicare? I say again: this government is determined to put the budget on a sound footing; this government is determined to put the economy on a sound footing; and, yes, this government is determined to put Medicare on a sound footing. And we will.