Senate debates

Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Motions

Medicare, Tasmania: Queen's Birthday Honours, Superannuation

4:27 pm

Photo of Katy GallagherKaty Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I move general business notices of motion Nos 1149, 1154 and 1157 and I ask that the question be put separately on No. 1149:

GENERAL BUSINESS NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 1149

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Morrison Government has published almost 1,000 changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), to be implemented in less than a month,

(ii) the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has described the changes as 'wilful incompetence' and noted on social media that:

'The release of the changes by government so close to the implementation date, has left the private health sector scrambling to prepare for the changes, and patients potentially out of pocket for hip, shoulder, hand, cardiac and other surgeries by thousands of dollars in some cases', and

(iii) the AMA has further warned that the changes will put the health system and patients at risk; and

(b) recognises that the proposed changes represent the biggest attack on Medicare in decades, snuck out in the middle of a pandemic; and

(c) condemns the Australian Government for their failure to consult with stakeholders about massive changes to the MBS and for their savage attacks on Medicare—the public health insurance system that Labor built and which has protected Australians' health for decades.

GENERAL BUSINESS NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 1154

That the Senate—

(a) acknowledges and congratulates the 25 worthy Tasmanians who were recipients of the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours on 14 June 2021 for their outstanding achievement and services to Tasmania, and Australia more broadly; and

(b) further acknowledges and congratulates:

(i) Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) recipient, Ms Barbara Baker,

(ii) Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) recipients: Dr Stephen Rintoul and Group Captain Paul Willmot,

(iii) Member of the Order of Australia (AM) recipients: Mr Noel Anthony Beven, Mr Howard Michael Blake, Mrs Robyn Barbara Moore and the Honourable David James Porter,

(iv) Australian Police Medal (APM) recipient, Assistant Commissioner Adrian Paul Bodnar,

(v) Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) recipients: Mr Trevor Harold Duniam, Mr Rodney Alleric Fraser, Mr John Gibson, Mr Michael Macpherson Hocking, Mr Graham Barry Kent, Captain Edgar James McDermott, Mrs Rosanne Elizabeth McKeand, Mrs Alison Elizabeth Monk, Ms Diane Lesley Nailon, Mr Robert Thomas Orr, Dr John David Paull, Mrs Pauline Mary Samson, Mrs Pauline Beryl Sedivka, Mr Roxley Carl Snare, Mr James Edward Wilcox and Dr Eric Woehler; and

(vi) Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) recipient: Lance Corporal Michael Coulson.

GENERAL BUSINESS NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 1157

That the Senate does not agree with Senator Rennick's statement in the Senate on Wednesday, 16 June 2021, that '… it's time to kill superannuation stone, cold dead'.

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