Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. The Prime Minister told Australians on at least 71 occasions, 'All you need is your Medicare card, not a credit card,' and that it would be free to see a GP. Minister, does the Prime Minister stand by the promise he made to Australians at least 71 times before the election that all you will need is your Medicare card because seeing your GP will be free?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We absolutely stand by the policy we announced in the election and the policies that we implemented previously, and we have made clear—

As Senator Gallagher reminds me, you actually supported them, Senator Ruston. That's how good they were. Those policies will see Australians being able to access urgent care clinics. As you know, we increased the number of those in the first term from what we promised, and now we have committed to further investment in urgent care clinics. As you know, Senator Ruston, they do provide access to bulk-billing. Yesterday I took the opportunity to remind you of the history of our investment in bulk-billing in this country. In 2023 we tripled the bulk-billing incentive for pensioners and concession card holders. When those 11 million Australians go to the GP, they are bulk-billed 90 per cent of the time.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On direct relevance—I was quite clear. All I asked the minister was whether the statements made by the Prime Minister which categorically state that Australians will get free access to their GP—all Australians—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston—

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will they stand by that?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, I did remind you yesterday that when you call your point of order there's no need to repeat the question. The minister is being directly relevant. Minister Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again I remind the senator that bulk-billing is the way in which you deliver access for Australians with their Medicare cards. That is the primary way in which governments ensure we do deliver that. As I said, in 2023 we tripled the bulk-billing incentive for pensioners and concession card holders. That means, when those 11 million Australians go to the GP, they are bulk-billed 90 per cent of the time.

Now what are we doing? We are expanding that reform, because we're extending that bulk-billing incentive to cover all 26 million Australians for the first time. We were upfront with Australians that we anticipate that, by 2030, that will enable nine out of 10 GP visits to be bulk-billed. I don't know which part of that, Senator, you don't support. Which part of that do you not support? I thought you did support this policy at the last election, or have you reverted to the position that you— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, first supplementary?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, if the Prime Minister was indeed telling the truth, why did Australians spend more than $166 million in out-of-pocket costs at the GP in the month of May 2025? That is $166 million spent by Australians out of their own pockets while the Prime Minister was waving his Medicare around. This is according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Was the Prime Minister telling the truth?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is from a member of a party that wanted to impose a GP tax. This is from a member of a party that froze indexation so that it became less, not more, affordable for Australians to see a doctor. This is from a shadow minister who used to tell people that Medicare was unsustainable and now wants to have a go at us for actually trying to get 90 per cent of Australians the capacity to see a doctor free of charge—to be bulk-billed. This is the policy of the Ley opposition, that they actually do not want to expand bulk-billing—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Your feigned indignation does not answer the question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, why are you on your feet?

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! Senator Gallagher?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have noticed the tactic of the opposition of raising numerous points of order where they just repeat their questions. I wonder whether you could consider that in how you deal with these, because it is apparently just to repeat the questions that they have already asked.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, I haven't called you. Thank you, Minister Gallagher. I did, indeed, remind Senator Ruston to get to the point of order and not repeat the question. In your latest attempt to stand up, Senator Ruston, you didn't even suggest it was a point of order; it was just launching into the politics of it. Across the chamber, everyone needs to think about a point of order and put it in the spirit and the way in which it is described in the standing orders. Senator Ruston.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the response to the point of order on direct relevance: I would suggest to you, President, that my points of order have always been on relevance. I apologise for not saying it was raised on relevance. The minister is not going in any way to answering my question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time that you got to your feet before this time, you simply made a statement; you didn't even mention 'point of order'. The minister is being relevant, and I will ask her to continue with her response.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We talk about indignation. Well, I think there's a fair bit of indignation about an opposition, a coalition party, that has spent so many years trying to unpick and unravel Medicare, that froze bulk-billing and Medicare rebates for six years and that tried to introduce a GP tax, now coming in here and pretending that they care about Medicare.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, second supplementary?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister told Australians on at least 71 occasions that it's 'free to see a GP' or:

All you need is your Medicare card, not your credit card.

But the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data says that Australians paid almost $2 billion in out-of-pocket costs to see a GP in the year to May 2025. Minister, when will this $2 billion in out-of-pocket costs be reduced to $0, as promised by the Prime Minister?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said—an $8.5 billion investment in Medicare extending the bulk-billing incentive to cover all 26 million Australians for the very first time. Let's be clear: we have been upfront with the Australian people—nine out of 10 visits bulk-billed by 2030 and the investment in 87 urgent care clinics plus an additional 50, all bulk-billed. This is what we do. What do they do? They want GP taxes and freezes on Medicare rebates, and this shadow minister's telling Australians, 'I'm sorry; Medicare is unsustainable.' Now you come in here and say, 'Oh!' Well your policy—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Ruston.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On direct relevance, I've asked the minister a specific question three times today now, and she hasn't answered any of them. Could you please bring her to answering the question, unless she can't.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is being relevant to the question. I'll ask her to continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It seems remarkable, doesn't it, that they don't understand that the way you deliver free access to a doctor is through bulk-billing? She thinks bulk-billing isn't relevant to visits to the doctor—well, that says something about the lack of understanding on that side. (Time expired)