John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Aged Care. Will the minister inform the House of what the government is doing to ease pressure on private health insurance premiums for constituents in my electorate of Bennelong and across the country?

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is lovely to take a question from my friend the minister for health, whose understanding of—from the member for Bennelong rather, whose understanding of our medicines policy is second to none.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Sydney! It does cease to be funny when you go on and on about it.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I announced that the government would reduce the cost of thousands of medical devices by $86 million a year to take the pressure off private health insurance premiums. What this indicates is that we are determined to support the 13 million Australians who have private health insurance and we on this side of politics understand that a strong private system matches a strong public system and you cannot have one without the other. The member for Sydney is getting up and she is running away because she knows what I am coming to. As one of my illustrious predecessors in the health portfolio, the member for Sydney was very notable for saying: 'How did I make every saving in health? I cut private health insurance. Every time I wanted money for my health portfolio, I cut private health insurance.'

The key thing is that if we make a strong private health insurance system we have a strong health insurance system in Australia. The announcement that I made today will have a direct result in reducing premiums that millions of Australians pay for private health insurance, and I expect the insurers to send this $86 million straight to the bottom line to relieve the premium pressure on their fund holders, who have the choice, if they want, to move funds and to shop around to get a better deal.

It is well known that at the heart of the Leader of the Opposition's 'Mediscare' lie the ugly truth behind it is that there is no Labor health policy. There is no policy to make private health more affordable for Australians—unless perhaps you call ringing elderly Australians late at night and bullying them about 'Mediscare' a health policy. Maybe you call that a health policy—using the union heavies, making the robocalls to vulnerable Australians late at night. Or ripping off vulnerable workers in the HSU of their money in order to fund the extravagant lifestyles of union bosses—maybe that is a health policy. I have not been able to detect a health policy—not one single one—from members opposite.

We are getting on with the job, we are delivering for patients and we are recognising that if you cannot pay for it you cannot deliver it. We are funding a system that puts patients at the centre.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.