Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Brandis, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Can the minister confirm that, in Tasmania, bulk-billing rates for GP visits have dropped by a massive 2.4 percentage points, or over 16,000 GP visits?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me just turn up what the bulk-billing rates are. Bulk-billing rates for 2016-17 are 85.4 per cent across Australia, compared to 84.6 per cent in the same period in 2015-16. Bulk-billing rates are at a historical high at 85.4 per cent. Senator Brown, you asked me the particular bulk-billing rates for Tasmania. I do not have that information before me, but I will take it on notice and I will get back to you. An 85.4 per cent bulk-billing rate—a historical high—is an impressive affirmation of the Australian government's, this coalition government's, very strong support for Medicare.

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

Senator Brown, a supplementary question.

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister confirm that since July bulk-billing rates for GP visits have dropped by half a percentage point, or 167,000 GP visits, across Australia?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I can tell you is that in the period since the March quarter, which is the period for which I have figures, bulk-billing rates have actually increased from 85.1 per cent to 85.4 per cent.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, a point of order on relevance. The question from Senator Brown was clearly relating to the figures since July—not from the March quarter but from the July quarter.

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

Thank you. I appreciate that difference, but the Attorney-General indicated they are the only figures he has in his possession. I call the Attorney-General.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, I have given you the relevant statistics and I have pointed out to you that bulk-billing rates now are 85.4 per cent nationwide, which is an increase of 0.3 per cent in the past six months.

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

Senator Brown, a final supplementary question.

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that the Prime Minister has failed in his absolute guarantee that nobody would pay more to see a doctor because of his six-year Medicare rebate freeze, isn't it clear that Australians who rely on bulk-billing are amongst Mr Turnbull's losers?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Certainly not. Let me tell you what the year-on-year bulk-billing rates were. In 2012, in the September quarter, they were 81.7 per cent. In 2013 they had grown to 82.8 per cent, under the last year of the Labor government. In 2014 they had grown to 84 per cent—an increase of 1.2 per cent—under the coalition government. In 2015 they had grown again to 84.6 per cent—an increase of 0.6 per cent. As at the September quarter this year, they have grown yet again, to 85.4 per cent, under this coalition government. An increase from 82.8 per cent in the last quarter for which the government of which you were a member was in power to 85.4 per cent three years later hardly supports the assertion in your question.