Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Is the president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Tony Bartone, right to say that extending the GST to health 'would only affect those who could least afford it'?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can indicate to the senator that I am not aware of that particular comment, so I cannot give her a view on that. But can I be very clear, as the Prime Minister has been clear and others making comment both in the House of Representatives and in the Senate have: there is nothing on the table regarding the GST from the government.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left!

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is most interesting to see that those on the other side both in this place and in the other place are embarking on a scare campaign for the Australian people. It is a scare campaign because there is no basis to the assertions and the hypotheticals that those opposite are raising. It takes a coalition government to be prepared to have a sensible, measured national debate about taxation issues. Those on the other side would much prefer to talk about an increase in the carbon tax and talk about an increase in the smoking tax, none of which are based on anything that is going to provide a benefit to the Australian people.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left! Senator Cameron, that includes you.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order on my left and my right!

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Will the minister rule out extending the GST to medical services, medical aids and medical appliances?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not know how many times this government has to tell the coalition there is nothing on the table and we are not ruling anything in or out.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Pause the clock.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I would encourage you to draw the attention of the minister to the question that was asked. It was a pretty simple one but she has not yet tried to address it.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it is a bit unfair. The minister is only 12 seconds into the answer. I call the minister.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very happy to repeat it for the senator, because clearly she was not listening or she could not hear because of those who were interjecting around her—very rudely, I might say. I stood here and said very clearly that the government is not ruling anything in or out. I directly answered the senator's question.

When it comes to health, it is the coalition government that is going to ensure that we have a sustainable health system into the future—unlike those opposite, who were quite prepared across a whole range of areas to be economically irrational and economically irresponsible when it comes to running the country.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I will try again: won't a GST hike increase the cost of health care and make life more difficult and cause more expense for families who are already struggling to make ends meet?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not know what GST hike the senator is referring to, because it is clearly hypothetical and made up with the fairies at the bottom of the garden that the senator opposite is obviously talking to to get an idea of the GST hike. Those opposite know very well that the coalition government is having a sensible, responsible discussion about taxation matters.

You can try to scare the Australian people as much as you want, Senator, but they know that we need to have a balanced, sensible, mature and responsible debate about this issue, and that is what they will get from the coalition government.