QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr BUTLER (Hindmarsh—Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Minister for Health and Ageing and Deputy Leader of the House) (14:47): I thank the member for his question, which is a question I've answered before in this place since the budget. As I've said on a number of occasions publicly and in this chamber, the additional support that over-65s have received since about 2004 for their private health insurance premium is something we did revisit given the significant pressure on our aged-care system and the need to find additional funding to deal with the demand that has been the subject of some discussion in this parliament over the course of this week.

Let's be clear: the additional premium on the rebate has meant that households next to each other on exactly the same income have been receiving a different level of support for their private health insurance based solely on their age. Mr Conaghan interjecting— The SPEAKER: The minister will pause. The member for Cowper—there are consequences for actions.

You've asked your question. You were heard in silence. I made sure the House heard your question.

I want to hear the minister's answer as well. We showed you respect; I'm asking the minister to be showed respect. It's a two-way street.

Mr BUTLER: At a time when, as I said, we need to lean so heavily into the need to find additional capacity in the aged-care system, that was not a use of taxpayer funds that we felt we were able to continue. Now, to the question that I was asked or referred by the Prime Minister, our modelling indicates that this will lead to a change of about 44,000 people in the health insurance system—or about, I think, 0.4 per cent of the health insurance membership.

Set that against the fact that health insurance membership has been climbing by two per cent per year on a very consistent basis over the last several years. Health insurance will continue to grow.