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) (14:58): Thanks to the member for Bass for her question, for her support for our Medicare agenda and for hosting me again during the winter break in beautiful Launceston. We got to see the terrific urgent care clinic in that town again.
It's seen more than 65,000 people—more than any other urgent care clinic in the network. It's a terrific exemplar. We also got to meet some of the doctors who've taken up the bulk-billing incentives that have been part of our budgets.
Like the rest of the country, as the member knows, bulk-billing rates in Bass were in freefall when we came to government, thanks to a decade of cuts and neglect, but our investments have turned that around. Bulk-billing for pensioners and concession card holders in Bass had gotten down to just eight in 10 visits, but now I'm pleased to say it's over 90 per cent again and continuing to climb.
Bulk-billing increases for people without that concession card have been even bigger in Bass. They've climbed by more than 21 per cent. We've seen similar increases right across northern Tasmania.
Indeed, bulk-billing is up in every single state and territory thanks to our record investment delivering literally millions and millions of additional free visits to the doctor every single year. And that's delivering real change for Australians. It's delivering real cost-of-living relief in their household budgets, and it's delivering a stronger Medicare.
But that could not be further from the position of the opposition on Medicare, evidenced by that decade of cuts and neglect. We've known for decades, literally, that they've never supported bulk-billing. The father of the modern Liberal Party, John Howard, described bulk-billing as 'an absolute rort', and, through that decade of cuts and neglect, the former government tried to abolish bulk-billing entirely.
The shadow treasurer has described Medicare as 'a system designed to keep people ill'—a pretty extraordinary description. But at least the shadow treasurer has had a stab at it and expressed a view. The Leader of the Opposition—I continue to search his website every week or so and I still can't find a single mention of Medicare or health policy on the Leader of the Opposition's website.
And of course, the shadow minister has had to ask my department for help in understanding what Medicare means in the first place—to ask the department for a definition. We've helpfully provided her with that, and hopefully that will give her a foundation to put together a health policy for the next election, so they don't have to simply copy ours. The member for Bass knows what Medicare means.
She knows it means universal access to the best healthcare system on the planet, no matter where you live, no matter your ability to pay. And that means a healthier Australia. (Time expired) Mr Ted O'Brien interjecting— The SPEAKER: It's the crossbench.
Mr Ted O'Brien interjecting— The SPEAKER: I give the call to the member for Mackellar.