Health Minister Sussan Ley has confirmed the Abbott Government is still committed to its GP Tax.
Asked whether she thought the GP Tax was badly sold or just a bad policy Minister Ley responded:
“The policy intent was and remains a good one.”
Sussan Ley, Press Conference, 3 March 2015
The minister’s admission the Abbott Government remains committed to the GP Tax confirms nothing has changed.
The Abbott Government remains committed to the destruction of Medicare and the destruction of bulk billing.
This was confirmed when the minister refused to deny that this was the objective of the four year freeze in Medicare rebates.
JOURNALIST: Would leaving the pause in place meet your objective over time?
LEY: That’s not something I’m prepared to answer.
Sussan Ley, Press Conference, 3 March 2015
Despite all the talk of listening and consultations, it’s clear the government is still not listening to patients or health experts and professionals, and still sees health as nothing more than a money pit to be raided to fill Joe Hockey’s Budget black hole.
The Prime Minister has publicly endorsed the GP Tax on no fewer than 53 occasions, famously even trying to sell it to world leaders at the G20 summit in Brisbane.
Today’s “announcement” confirms that the greatest threat to Medicare is a Liberal Government.
Labor built Medicare.
Only Labor believes in Medicare.
Medicare will only ever be safe under a Labor government.