Private Health Insurance Amendment (Modernising the Private Health Insurance Rebate) Bill 2026

Mr LEESER (Berowra) (12:03): Deputy Speaker Buchholz, it's an honour to be in your presence, and it's an honour to follow my friend the member for Maranoa, who made a very passionate speech, as did the member for Page before him, the member for Mitchell before him and the member for Lyne before him. We've had a series of very good contributions across the last hour from coalition members on these issues.

We will keep speaking on this bill, the Private Health Insurance Amendment (Modernising the Private Health Insurance Rebate) Bill 2026, because this is bad policy and we want to put our voices on the record. We want to demonstrate to our constituents, to the pensioners across the country and to the Australians who've worked hard and who've played by the rules that we're on their side.

As the member for Maranoa points out, there are very few on the other side that have spoken. Only 13 members have spoken in favour of this policy. If it was such a good policy, this bill would be filled with Labor speaker after Labor speaker after Labor speaker, telling us why it's a good idea to slash the private health rebate on our pensioners—on people who've served our country, who've built our country and who've made it the wonderful place it has been.

In their retirement, they will rely more on the health system. They have limited or fixed incomes and they want to be able to afford to access that system. They want to be able to afford to maintain their private health insurance.

These are people that are taking responsibility for themselves, and yet this government is kicking sand in their faces. Australia has a mixed health system. It's one of the great advantages of our system.

We don't have the extremes of either America or Britain—America with its completely private health system that is very income dependent; and Britain with its completely state controlled health system, with its queues, its inefficiencies and its limited choices. The mixed system of both private and public is a strength of Australia. The mixed system, with both private and public, a system that allows for choice, is bolstered by the presence of private hospitals and bolstered by people taking out private health insurance.

That bolstering of the private system improves competition, it improves service delivery, it gives people choices, and it tells people that, if you take responsibility and make a contribution to your health care, then you will receive benefits. We know it is a value of older Australians that they are a generation of people who take responsibility. We also know that, as you get older, the body wears out and you become more dependent and reliant on the health system.

You get older, you get run down and you need more help. Yet, at the very time when Australia's pensioners, Australia's old people, who've built this country, who've worked hard, who've played by the rules, who've given back, who've done the right thing for years, who've paid into the private health insurance system, might be looking to claim more, the government is stripping back on the private health insurance rebate.

This will adversely affect older Australians, but it will also adversely affect our health system. I think what we're seeing here is part of the fundamental values of the Albanese government—if you do the right thing, if you play by the rules, if you serve our country, this government will take from you. They will not encourage you; they will take from you.

They're taking back the private health insurance rebate, just like they're doing with the $5,000 veterans allied health cap. Both of these ideas should be scrapped because both of these ideas are an attack on people who have served our country. And this makes choices for older Australians very hard.

The reduction of the private health insurance rebate means that we are going to see hard choices being made by older Australians at a time when they're on fixed incomes, at a time when they need health care more than ever in their lives. They're going to have to look at cutting back on other expenditure, downgrading their private health insurance or dropping it altogether.

We know that this is a bad policy for 1.2 million Australian pensioners. In fact, I have rarely had as much correspondence with my office on any issue as I have on this issue. Nearly 2,000 people have written to me about this particular issue.

I want to read some of the contributions that they have made because it's good to hear from people in my constituency in their own words about how they feel about the Albanese government slashing the private health insurance rebate for older people. Chris from Galston writes: Thanks to the Albanese government, I will have to inquire whether a lower level with health fund would cover my needs with my age requirements.

Roy from Glenhaven says: I am in the fortunate position of being able to afford the additional cost …. but I live in a retirement village with many residents who cannot afford Labours scandalous cash grab Nancy from West Pennant Hills writes: As a couple we are with AHM and paying over $8,000 per year!! This year we paid in for the whole year so to avoid the April rise of monthly payments.

This is an important point that Nancy makes here. Costs are rising for people on fixed incomes, and now they're getting sand kicked in their faces by the Albanese government. She goes on: With rising cost of living, we don't think we can continue to keep our private health insurance cover.

With that the government will be paying for our health requirements more than $650 per year when we move to the public system.' There we go—more strain, more drain, on the public health system as a result of Labor's bad policies. Peter from Westleigh writes: The annual increase is hard enough. 8.8% this year from BUPA. The reduction in rebate to 24% will have a dramatic affect on my wife and I.

We want to be able to stay in private but will have to seriously consider dropping out. Chris from Glenhaven writes: We are already seriously considering our options with private insurance due to ongoing financial pressures. The impact of increased costs for our age group, especially when we are also not eligible for a pension is making us review all financial decisions.

Cheryl from Hornsby Heights writes: It's unfair to increase our expenses when we're retired and therefore not eligible for any of the tax cuts because we don't have taxable income Shane from Hornsby says: I have already cancelled plans to go private Charles from Arcadia says: Government should be encouraging Private Health Insurance—NOT penalizing it! Private Health Insurance is good for all as it reduces the burden on the Public System!

Well said, Charles from Arcadia. He says: Those who leave it will simply impose more costs and pressure on our Public Hospitals! Charles agrees with the views of many of the Labor premiers.

Terry from Cherrybrook says: We cannot afford to cancel our Private Health as my wife has cancer and the annual cost of the medications outweighs our annual premium payment which is around $6,000. Suzanne from Pennant Hills says: At 80 1 have had private health insurance since I started working at age 16. This might just make it unaffordable and I will have to rely on the public system Where will we find another $600+ a year, pay electricity, water and council rates, put food on the table and try to stay in our own homes.

These people are not wealthy. They may have paid down some of their debts, but their expenses, particularly in the cost-of-living crisis that we've faced—created by this Albanese government—makes an increase in what they're going to have to pay for their health care all that much worse. John from Thornleigh says: We have a policy covering my wife and I and the cost is becoming difficult.

The sharp additional cost as a result of the budget is going to mean we will need to reassess our cover. We have had private health cover sine we were married in 1970— 56 years ago. After 56 years of paying premiums they're thinking about giving up.

He says: We are now 75 and these costs and general cost of living is becoming difficult to manage Well said, John. Ray and Sue of Glenorie say: We may have to lower the level of Private Health cover we have, but with cancer and heart problems it is important to maintain the best cover we can afford You can see the effect that this decision is having on people in my community.

Alan, in Hornsby, says their decision will be to 'likely reduce extras cover to compensate'. That's not helpful to anyone. Bruce from Castle Hill says: Now in my 70's I need this cover more than ever as both my wife and I medical expenses are more than $25k per annum.

I have paid for private health insurance for our family and now my wife and myself every year for the past 50 years. These are the contributors. These are the lifters, not the leaners.

Anthony from Cherrybrook says: We are self-funded retirees and are at our absolute limit of expenditure with our small monthly income without this additional expense. We see no option but for me to find a small part time job— Wow! He says: (I'm almost 84) or cancel our insurance which we are very reluctant to do!

Eighty-four-year-olds are going out to look for new jobs: that's Australia today under the Albanese government. Catherine from Thornleigh says: Private health is already very expensive but does help take load of public system so why penalise older people on fixed small income Robert from Glenhaven says: This is ridiculous, we're already paying more than enough an extra $640.00 per annum we will have to carefully consider.

Our allocated income has not increased nor has our part pension so how on earth are we supposed to keep paying for everything that's increasing- gas and electricity/ Foxtel which we're considering cancelling because of the cost. Car insurance and we haven't got to registration yet! Whatever you can do to block this increase is very much necessary and appreciated.

Well, Robert, we, in the coalition, will vote against this increase. So many of my colleagues and I have spoken against it because it's just plain bad policy. Ian in Dural says: I cannot afford to cancel my private health insurance as I have a number of health issues which means I cannot live without health insurance Robyn from West Pennant Hill says: I think it is a disgusting move by the Federal Government on those of us who want the certainty of health care, to be slugged with the extra cost of no rebate.

I am 80 years of age have worked and paid taxes and now feel like I am being set aside as if I no longer deserve to be considered. This is how older Australians are feeling under this Albanese Labor government. Kevin, from Cherrybrook, says: Based on the premium advice in the latest health fund communication received I have calculated our premium will go from $511 to $753 per month—an additional $2,904 PER ANNUM Michael from Berowra says: I am 67 years old , retired, receiving a pension, and yes, the changes will impact me to the extent that I will seriously consider dropping my private health insurance altogether, at a time when I feel that I need it most.

I think Michael is speaking for older Australians right across the country when he says this. Barry and Beverley of Dural write—in capital letters: IF A LARGE NUMSBER OF US OLDIES ARE FORCED TO CANCEL OUR PRIVATE HEALTH COVER WHAT SORT OF LOAD WILLL THIS PLACE ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH .....OUR PUBLIC HOSPITALS ARE REALLY STRUGGLING AND ALREADY HAVE OVER 3000 BEDS FILLED BY OLDER PEOPLE WAITING FOR A NURSING HOME.........THIS GOVERNMENT DOESN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE OLDER GENERATION I couldn't have put it better than Barry and Beverley.

Anne of Beecroft says: I am a pensioner age 82 and I need to be reassured that my private health insurance is affordable to me as I get older and require it more. I struggle to pay the fees now , but feel it is necessary to have the assurance of health care when I need it Arun from Epping says: I will have to rethink about private health insurance whether it is worth it.

This is a terrible public policy outcome. Pensioners across my electorate and self-funded retirees are thinking of exiting the private health insurance system at the very time we need them to be there more than ever. Christine of Cattai writes: At our age Health Insurance is necessary but with the added cost we cannot afford it.

Madeleine from Epping says: The increase would make me seriously consider cancelling or amending my present cover. Don from Epping says: I have no income other than the superannuation. Therefore I cannot accept any increase in Private health insurance.

Wayne from Cherrybrook says: I will definatly have to reduce my level and hope I dont get sick. This is Australia. This is one of the wealthiest countries on Earth, yet people are reducing cover and hoping they don't get sick.

Those are the measures people are taking. Grahame from Berowra says: My wife and I have family insurance and have held this health insurance since 1968— nearly 60 years. He says: Now aged 81 and 79 we are told that the current government subsidy will cease for people our age.

A disgraceful action by this communist government. Teresa from Thornleigh says: I am 76 years old and my husband is 83 years old in November. We have had private health insurance for many years and at times this has had a huge impact on our month to month financial situation.

If the Government reduces the current rebate we are not sure that we can afford this in the future … The public health system is good but it is being stretched to the limit. Please do not let this Government reduce rebates for private health. I am very worried about the state of Australia at the moment.

Well, Teresa, you're right to be worried about the state of Australia at the moment under the Albanese government. You're not alone in my community and you're not alone around the country, particularly as people see the effect of this policy. Karen from Cheltenham says: It's going to make things worse for the public system if older Australians drop out of private funds John from Mount Colah says: I have just had a knee replacement.

Huge costs. We could not afford extra health care costs Shirley from Berowra says: We are already finding private health insurance a strain, any additional cost would probably mean that at least one of us ( my husband or myself) will have to cancel. And Susan from Galston says: I am now in my eighties and receive a single pension.

I would not wish to cancel my private health insurance and have to budget my expenses carefully; any increase would lead to cost cutting elsewhere. There you are, Deputy Speaker Buchholz. You've heard the voices of older Australians from my community.

That was just a sample of the nearly 2,000 people who've written to me about these issues—individual letters, individual messages, telling me the story of their families, telling me the story that they've worked hard and that they've played by the rules. They value private health insurance. They value our public hospitals and don't want to see them under strain.

But, as they get older, this government is making them make difficult choices. In a cost-of-living crisis, with the economy out of control, with spending out of control, with regulation out of control, this new policy is making our pensioners poorer. The government is leaving Australia in a very bad way.

It's for this reason that so many Labor premiers have opposed this. They know what bad effect this is going to have on the public hospitals. In New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, they've joined with the coalition premiers in Queensland and Tasmania.

This is going to put massive strain on our local hospitals at Hornsby, at royal north shore and at Westmead. This is a bad policy. It's a bad bill.

It deserves to be opposed. It deserves to be reconsidered. I beg the Labor Party: withdraw the bill.

Withdraw this reduction of the private health insurance rebate on older Australians.