Tom Venning (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No less than 24 hours ago, Chris Bowen, a minister of the Crown, lied to the Australian people.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Tom Venning (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw. The minister of the Crown misled the Australian people. He said in question time that power prices in Australia are down in all jurisdictions. Well, he forgot the great state of South Australia. The default market offer shows that prices are up again. This is the state with 80 per cent wind and solar—80 per cent—and he attributed the cost reductions to more renewables! Well, South Australia is at 80 per cent and prices are up. We have the highest prices in Australia and some of the highest prices in the world, depending on how you measure it. It is unbelievable—more misleading.

I also rise to raise my concerns for older Australians in my electorate of Grey. They are facing a financial blow. Under Labor's proposed cuts to private health insurance rebates, over 23,000 residents will be hit with premium hikes of up to $807, and double that for couples. We tell Australians to take responsibility for their health and to be self-sufficient as they age, but this government is shifting the goalposts yet again. Right when their incomes are reducing and their need for speciality care is increasing, Labor is hitting older Australians where it hurts.

Private health covers over 26,000 hospital admissions annually in Grey and contributes $111 million to that care. With an average patient age of 61 years and almost a fifth of admissions being cancer related, this cover is not a luxury; it is indeed a lifeline. If seniors are forced to abandon these policies, they will be pushed directly into our already struggling public hospital system. If this happens, our regional waitlists will explode and our exhausted local doctors and nurses will be left to pick up the pieces yet again. I stand with the over-65s in my electorate. I urge everyone in Grey to sign a 'Hands-off our health cover' petition, so we can fight this terrible decision by Labor together.

During my two trips up north, I spoke to residents about the condition of the roads in northern South Australia— and they feel abandoned. The impacts of prolonged road closures are severe. Innamincka's tourism has plummeted from hundreds of visitors a night to just 11. Pastoralists can't move stock, risking prime cattle and sheep at a time when feed is good.