House debates
Thursday, 17 July 2014
Questions without Notice
Medicare
2:58 pm
Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My question is for the Prime Minister. I refer to the petition of more than 2,500 GPs calling on the Prime Minister to abandon his GP tax and to a GP registrar in the member for Corangamite's electorate who writes, 'The $7 GP tax will make regular visits for some patients unaffordable. I genuinely fear that they will refuse visits and fail to have proper management of their heart failure, diabetes and chronic lung disease.' Why should sick and elderly patients in Corangamite be stopped from getting the treatment they need because of the Prime Minister's GP tax?
2:59 pm
Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Labor's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme tax has not stopped people from getting the drugs they need.
Ms King interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Ballarat will desist! You have asked your question—now listen to the answer.
Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Let me get this right: first of all the member for Ballarat is against a modest co-payment on Medicare, and now, judging by her outburst, she is against a PBS co-payment. Just how irresponsible can Labor be?
Ms Ryan interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Lalor will leave under 94(a).
The member for Lalor then left the chamber.
Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Just what kind of deficit do they want us to skyrocket towards when they are against all spending cuts, and now they want to abolish the PBS co-payment as well as oppose a modest co-payment on Medicare? It is really and truly about time members opposite explained themselves.
Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I rise on a point of order, Madam Speaker.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Prime Minister has completed his answer. And if you insist on asking broad ranging questions, the point about relevance is not valid when you make it.