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. Will the Prime Minister abandon his unfair GP tax?

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

The government support the budget measures that we put forward because we do need to tackle the debt and deficit disaster that members opposite have left this country. We do need to tackle the $25,000 in debt hanging around the necks of every man, woman and child in this country that they now have as a result of members opposite.

We are absolutely determined to tackle the debt and deficit disaster that Labor has inflicted on this country—the Shorten sinkhole of debt which we have inherited. Part of that is a modest co-payment on Medicare. In the same way that members opposite support a modest co-payment on the PBS, we support a modest co-payment on Medicare. If it is right and proper to have a modest co-payment on the PBS, it is right and proper to have a modest co-payment on Medicare. Former Prime Minister Hawke thought it was right and proper. The member for Jagajaga, just as she supports our learning or earning initiative, supports us in spirit when it comes to the modest co-payment on Medicare. We know the member for Fraser supports a modest co-payment on Medicare. And the member for Lingiari voted for a modest co-payment. He has buried his head in his papers. Something fascinating in his lap right now!

Anyway, I have more than made my point. I have concluded this answer.

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

The member for Fraser: I made an undertaking to you yesterday that I would make a ruling concerning yesterday's point of order on standing order 68. I intend to do that at the end of question time, and I think it will cover this question as well.

Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So I don't have an opportunity for a point of order to the Prime Minister?

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

Not after he has sat down.