Catherine King

Catherine King

CATHERINE KING MP
Federal Member Ballarat
Minister Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Local Government

T (03) 5338 8123
Email: Catherine.King.MP@aph.gov.au

Catherine King MP
Electorate Office: 5 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat, VIC 3350

Open in Google Maps
  • ABOUT
  • BALLARAT
  • MEDIA
    • LOCAL MEDIA
    • NATIONAL MEDIA
  • POLICY
  • CONTACT US
Monday, 01 June 2015 / Published in MEDIA

NASH CONFIRMS ABBOTT COMMITTED TO PBS HIKE

The Abbott Government remains committed to hiking the cost of prescriptions, Assistant Minister for Health, Fiona Nash today confirmed.

In answer to questions on whether it was still Abbott Government policy to raise prescriptions by $5 for general patients and $0.80 for concession card holders, Senator Nash replied

“The government policy hasn’t changed.”
Fiona Nash, Senate Estimates, 1 June 2015

Senator Nash’s statement confirms the Abbott Government has now come full circle on the PBS price hikes.

Despite the price hikes being stalled in the Senate since last year, the Budget recommitted to the increases in the PBS co-payment.

But just nine days later the Health Minister blew a $1.3 billion hole in that Budget by declaring she would not proceed with the legislation.

“I am not going to waste time putting things through the Parliament that are going to be voted down by my colleagues.”
Health Minister Sussan Ley, Press Conference, 21 May 2015

But after being read the riot act by the Treasurer the minister was forced into issuing an embarrassing late night backflip.

“I am applying the principle that a saving doesn’t come off the table unless an alternative saving goes on.”
Health Minister Sussan Ley statement, 21 May 2015

Now, the Assistant Minister for Health has confirmed “the government policy hasn’t changed” and that contrary to the minister’s repeated claims about cheaper drugs, the Abbott Government remains committed to making all patients pay more for prescriptions.

This confirms patients, and in particular the most chronically ill, remain in the Abbott Government’s sights.

Not content with having cut $60 billion from health last year, and another $2 billion this year, the Minister has been instructed by Joe Hockey she either has to hit some of Australia’s sickest patients with higher medicine charges, or find new areas of health to cut.

The Minister must immediately come clean on what further health cuts she now has in her sights. More cuts to hospitals? More cuts to general practice? More cuts to drug and alcohol programs?

This yet again highlights that Tony Abbott only ever sees health as a target for Budget cuts and only Labor can be trusted to look after Australia’s health system.

Tagged under: 2015

What you can read next

GOVERNMENT MUST DETAIL MY HEALTH RECORD PLANS
WELCOME BACK MINISTER – NOW GET SERIOUS ABOUT HEALTH
TONY ABBOTTS GP TAX: ATTACK ON MEDICARE BEGINS

FILTER BY TYPE:

  • MEDIA
    • LOCAL MEDIA
    • NATIONAL MEDIA

FILTER BY YEAR:

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

© Catherine King. Authorised by Catherine King, Australian Labor Party, Canberra

Noise Birds

TOP