p>The Prime Minister’s candidate for Griffith Bill Glasson has today backed the introduction of a six dollar tax on doctor and hospital visits.
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The Prime Minister’s candidate for Griffith Bill Glasson has today backed the introduction of a six dollar tax on doctor and hospital visits.
The Prime Minister must today confirm whether he supports Mr Glasson and clarify if this is now government policy, given Mr Glasson’s clear statements.
In an ABC article today, when asked about the government’s proposed new fee, Mr Glasson responded:
"If you can afford to pay you should pay, to keep the system fair and affordable."
Bill Glasson – ABC Online – 2 January 2013
“Mr Glasson is today stating what the Prime Minister and Mr Dutton are too scared to admit,” Shadow Minister for Health Catherine King said.
“The Coalition want to sneak in a new tax that will hit families every time they take their sick child to the doctor.
“The Prime Minister needs to explain how imposing a new GP tax is ‘fair and affordable’, as his candidate in Griffith claims.
“This new tax will make it harder for families to see their GP and put additional stress on Australia’s public hospital system.”
Mr Glasson is a former president of the Australian Medical Association. The AMA’s current president Mr Steve Hambleton stated in relation to the new fee:
"What you don’t want people to do is not go to the doctor when they need to."
Dr Steve Hambleton – News.com.au – 29 December 2013
The government has already slugged Australians with the largest increase to their private health insurance premiums in a decade. The government has ripped hundreds of millions of dollars from health infrastructure projects and is now sending the strongest of signals about its intentions for a new GP and hospital tax.
Ms King said the Prime Minister’s new GP tax was a broken promise to the Australian people.
“All Australians deserve the healthcare they need, not just the healthcare they can afford,” Ms King said.
“Labor will fight the Coalition’s new GP tax in 2014, in Griffith and right across the country.
“Families shouldn’t have to keep footing the bill for the Prime Minister’s broken promises. They shouldn’t have to pay a new tax every time they need to go to the doctor.”