Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a view—some may call it ideological—that regardless of people's politics the main thing I am most proud of as an Australian is that, in times of crisis such as ill health, death or attacks, we are all Australians. We band together and help each other.

I am a relative newbie to this world of politics. However, during the campaign a journalist asked me what the one thing was that most disappointed me about being a candidate in this new world of politics. I replied without hesitation: the Labor Party's blatant, cruel lie with respect to Medicare, not just because of its purpose—that is, to get ahead of the Liberal Party in the campaign—but because it had no regard to the real people, real people's emotions and lives: my constituents in Chisholm. I hail from the corporate and business world. It is not a perfect world, but the fundamental principle of integrity prevails, in my view, across the business world in this country. Sure, there is puffery and, some would say, stretching the truth in advertising, but for a blatant lie and blatant misleading conduct there are consequences, as there should be.

The Labor Party's lie with respect to Medicare did harm to the people of Chisholm, and one story shall stay with me forever. I took a phone call from a constituent in Mount Waverley, a suburb in the heart of Chisholm.. He sounded like a very lovely man. But he was very sad, anxious and distressed. Five days prior to him calling me, his wife of over 30 years had been diagnosed with cancer. He was distraught. A few days later, in the dead of night, he took a phone call from what was likely a union/Labor worker, who said to him that the Liberals were going to sell Medicare. 'Tell me it's not true, Julia,' he said, the emotion palpable in his voice. I spent half an hour reassuring this lovely Chisholm resident and wished him my very best for his wife's recovery.

Fast forward to yesterday in question time, and indeed now, and the Prime Minister referred to the misleading, blatant lie in a text message which was sent by the Labor Party to Australians across the country. The text was made to look like it was from Medicare, and again it said the same lie. I was disgusted at the Labor Party's response—the laughs, the carry-on and the loud guffaws across the chamber. All I could think about when I saw the opposition members across the chamber laughing and jeering was that lovely constituent in Mount Waverley. I hope he is well and that his wife has recovered, and that he knows that he can rest assured that Medicare is not being sold. As proud representatives in the Turnbull government, we will always ensure that the health of our Australians will be paramount.