Trusting Labor to protect Medicare
Try as they might, the Liberals know the Australian people are on to them when it comes to privatising Medicare and savagely cutting Australia’s public health system.
As Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek pointed out this morning, you just have to look at the Abbott-Turnbull track record.
“We have had to introduce Medicare twice after Malcolm Fraser privatised it the first time.
“A day before the last election, Tony Abbott said no cuts to healthcare and then we saw more than $50b cut from our hospitals.
“At every stage, this government is trying to get you to put your hand in your pocket when you need healthcare.
“If that’s not privatisation, I don’t know what is.”
“They first wanted a $7 GP co-payment.
“They wanted a $5 increase in the cost of medicines.
“They’ve now got a Medicare Benefit Schedule freeze which means doctors will have to charge you to see the doctor.
“They’ve got rid of incentives for bulk billing for pathology and diagnostic imaging.
“At every stage, they are asking Australians to stick their hand in their pocket to pay for healthcare.
“If that’s not privatisation, I don’t know what is.
“People know you can trust Labor with Medicare,” she added.
This article originally appeared in the Labor Herald.
