The Health Minister’s repeated claims his GP Tax contains "an appropriate safety net” for pensioners, health care concession card holders and children has been blown out of the water by his own department.
Health Department figures provided to Budget estimates show the median use of GP and other services by pensioners and health care card holders is eight – short of the so-called "safety net" trigger of 10.
This means, on average, they are $56 worse off on the GP tax alone, and that’s before they pay for the extra hike in drug prices or take into account pension cuts.
“These are the figures that put the lie to Minister Dutton’s repeated claim the GP tax is "reasonable" and backed up by "an appropriate safety net",” Shadow Minister for Health Catherine King said today.
“His own department shows Minister Dutton’s so-called safety net is no safety net at all and leaves Australia’s poorest and most vulnerable patients out of pocket.”
It’s time to listen to Labor, listen to colleagues like Peter Costello and listen to the health experts and professionals and axe the GP Tax.