Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to commit to my constituents that, as the member for Hotham, I will fight to save Medicare. When this Prime Minister went to the election, he promised there would be no new taxes and no cuts to health. Yet what do we see just nine months after these guys are elected? At the first opportunity, they impose a $7 GP tax and they cut $80 billion out of health and education. This co-payment comes as constituents in my electorate of Hotham are already having to deal with savage cuts. Our Medicare branch in Southland has just shut down. We have no Saturday services. This is a massive imposition on working families in my electorate.

Following this general outcry about the deterioration of health services in this country, I sent around a petition to people in my electorate. I have been inundated by responses in the couple of days since the petition hit letterboxes. I also received responses from about 40 people who have come by foot into my electorate office so they can express to my electorate staff how angry they are that promises made during the election have been broken. It is unfair and unacceptable to tax Australia's sick in this way. It is unfair to tax those who are suffering from chronic health conditions. It is unfair to do this to the older people in Australia who are likely to access GP services more often than others. We know that fees like this mean people in the community do not get important preventative healthcare services. I will be continuing to fight for Medicare in my role as member for Hotham.