SENATOR DEBORAH ONEILL

Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Health

Senator for New South Wales
MEDIA RELEASE
24 June 2015

REPORT CONFIRMS ABBOTT STILL NOT LISTENING

ON HEALTH CUTS
The Senate committee investigating the nations health system has confirmed the
Abbott Governments second Budget is continuing to pursue policies that will push up
the cost of health care, drive down bulk billing, and damage Australias health
system.
The second interim report of the Senate Select Committee on Health, tabled this
afternoon in the Senate, again highlights the anger and distress expressed by
leading health organisations at the refusal of the Abbott Government to listen to their
concerns about the damage it is doing to the health system.
Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Health, Senator Deborah ONeill, said the
decision to release a 2nd interim report was made after evidence gathered at public
hearings across the nation about the continuing damage being done to the health
system by the Abbott Government.
While the government has dropped its original plan for a compulsory $7 GP Tax on all
visits to the doctor, the committee heard strong evidence the Abbott Governments
four year freeze on doctors rebates could turn out to be even more damaging for
many patients.
We have heard submissions that bulk billing will fall, and many patients, especially
the most vulnerable, will be forced to pay more as the freeze forces an increasing
number of doctors to charge patients higher and higher fees.
There is enormous frustration at the Governments single minded focus
on cutting health funding at the expense of longer term health outcomes.
Its patently clear no one in the health sector, from doctors, to health experts and
peak organisations believe this government has a long term strategic policy plan for
positive health care reform in Australia.
Its extremely frustrating to me that over a year on from the disastrous 2014 Budget,
nothing has changed, and the Abbott Government is still not listening to anyone in
the health sector.

Senate Select Committee on Health Second Interim Report

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Health/Health/Se
cond_Interim_Report
ENDS
Contact:

Anne Charlton

0400 433 743