QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator RUSTON (South Australia—Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (14:32): My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. For months, Minister Butler has told Australians that only 44,000 people will drop their private health insurance under Labor's plans to cut the additional rebate for those over the age of 65—44,000 people.

He has repeated that number again and again. But a secret briefing released under freedom of information shows that 44,000 is only the initial effect of the policy and that, by 2029-30, the number of people dropping private health insurance will reach 78,000, almost double the number the minister has repeatedly quoted. Minister, a simple question—does the government concede that its own department found 78,000 older Australians will drop their cover under this policy?