Senate debates Bills
Health Insurance Amendment (Extended Medicare Safety Net) Bill 2014; Second Reading
Jan McLucas Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health
1:24 pm
I rise to indicate the Labor opposition's support of the Health Insurance Amendment (Extended Medicare Safety Net) Bill 2014. This measure was introduced in the 2013-14 budget. It is a sensible measure and it is a Labor measure. I quote from the bill's explanatory memorandum:
This supports the overall sustainability of MBS arrangements by reducing expenditure.
It compares with measures contained in the cruel 2014-15 budget which are, in fact, blunt instruments not aimed at sustainability. The 2014-15 budget measures are driven by an ideology that does not value Medicare. Australians value Medicare, Labor designed Medicare and we will defend Medicare. I indicate support for the bill.
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