Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I have no doubt that there are some doctors who do not like the GP co-payment, just as there are some pharmacists who I am sure do not like the PBS co-payment that members opposite support. I accept that there are some doctors who do not support the position that the government has; on the other hand, there are many doctors who do support the position that the government has. In fact, the AMA's position is that it is not against a co-payment in principle. The position of the Australian Medical Association is that it is not against a co-payment in principle. We are happy to keep talking with the AMA about how this modest co-payment is best introduced. We do support a modest co-payment, like Bob Hawke, like the member for Fraser and not too much like but a little like, perhaps, the member for Jagajaga. We think that a co-payment does make sense, and it is very important to keep Medicare sustainable.

See this speech in context