Tony Abbott lied to Australians about his first GP Tax, and now he’s been caught out lying about his backdoor GP Tax.
Mr Abbott insists his new GP Tax follows consultations with doctors. The problem is, doctors say no such consultations have taken place.
REPORTER: Did you consult with doctors on this change?
TONY ABBOTT: Yes, we did.
Today Show – 10 December 2014
But that’s not what Australia’s peak doctors’ groups says, with AMA Vice-President Stephen Parnis directly contradicting Mr Abbott this morning.
HOST: So there was no consultation?
PARNIS: No.
HOST: At all about this change?
PARNIS: This has been a series of announcements without the expert input that we could provide. Had we had the opportunity to talk with the Government, even prior to the May Budget, they wouldn’t have got themselves in this pickle.
HOST: The Prime Minister was insistent on commercial TV there was consultation about this with the profession, you’re saying –
PARNIS: We’re saying that the AMA, the peak body, had not been consulted about this. We received a call from the Minister for Health 30 minutes before the announcement.
ABC Breakfast – 10 December 2014
Given the almost universal opposition of health experts and professionals to his GP Tax, it’s no wonder Tony Abbott didn’t consult with doctors before reannouncing his GP Tax.
If he had, he’d have been told what Labor has been saying since day one – that his GP Tax is a disaster for health and disaster for the Budget and should be scrapped, not relaunched.
As the Prime Minister has now revealed, he’s still not listening, still not consulting and it’s a still a GP Tax.