Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Labor's budget of broken promises and higher taxes will cost my constituents Ross and Cynthia hundreds of dollars per year because of changes to private health insurance. Cynthia is recovering from breast cancer. Yesterday the Prime Minister said it was time to be honest. Will the Prime Minister answer Cynthia and Ross's question: why does the Prime Minister want to continue to push us by removing the rebate we desperately need?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No-one is removing the rebate. The premise of the question is completely wrong. What is not appropriate is to come in here and spread this sort of information through the Parliament of Australia. It is very clear we are not removing the rebate.

In addition to that, what we are doing through a range of measures to assist Australians in that situation is reducing the price of medicines to $25 or, if they are a pensioner or recipient, down to $7.70, which we're freezing until 2030. We've increased the bulk-billing rates, so they get access to a GP, up to above 80 per cent, heading towards our target of 90 per cent as well. We have $25 billion in this budget—the largest expenditure—for our new hospitals and health deal. We have put all of these measures in place to assist Australians in the member for Cowper's electorate and right across the board as well.

Garth Hamilton (Groom, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Energy Security and Affordability) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That was a lie.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Groom will withdraw that.

Garth Hamilton (Groom, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Energy Security and Affordability) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Groom.