Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I really do not know why we bother with question time. Questions are asked of ministers, factual answers are given, and then the questioner completely ignores the answer, makes up some other facts that might suit their political approach, but simply doesn't want to know the truth. I ask the previous speaker, was she one of those that went around the nursing homes before the last election telling people that Medicare was going to be privatised? I ask any of the Labor speakers who might participate in this debate next to answer that question. Were they among those who went around telling people in nursing homes and hospitals that Medicare was going to be privatised? As we all know, that was then, was always and is now the biggest lie going. It's part of the Labor approach these days. Labor have abandoned any real debate on policy issues. All they do is get some of the clever people in the back room to pick a subject and say, 'Let's tell enough lies about that and people will start to believe it.'

Senator Watt interjecting—

Senator Watt interjects. Were you one of those, Senator Watt, who went around and told the ultimate lie that Medicare was going to be privatised?