Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

In answer to your question around premiums, it is up to insurance companies to provide an attractive, affordable product. If they do that then people will continue to buy it. It is also ultimately up to the Commonwealth to approve premium rises, and the health minister has made it clear that she will not accept private health insurance funds using this measure as an excuse to whack working families with huge hikes. The government’s view is that the health funds will compete strongly with each other and will continue to drive down costs and that this will minimise premium increases.

I know you have stood up a few times recently, Senator Cormann, claiming you have been misrepresented, but I suspect you have seriously verballed the minister, so I do not accept what you have put forward.