Page 940 - Week 03 - Thursday, 19 March 2015
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capabilities of our health system. An $850 million-plus build across the health services in our community is a major commitment.
Mr Hanson: It’s still not as much as your tram track. These are your priorities.
MR CORBELL: These are the priorities of the Labor government—investing in better health. The only health policy of those opposite is the policy of their federal leader, who wants to charge people more to go and see the doctor. That is the policy of the Liberal Party. But here in this city, with this Labor government, we are investing in health services at a level and scale unprecedented in the history of self-government. We will continue to do so because that is what Labor governments do. Labor governments look at enabling communities and at supporting them with the health services they need, not asking them to pay more when they go and see their GP.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Minister, is it true that only a Labor government has brought in a co-payment and that you currently charge a co-payment for emergency dental treatment?
MR CORBELL: Mr Hanson can make whatever assertions he likes, but he cannot escape the fact that it is his federal leader that is interested in a GP co-payment, not the Labor Party.
Mr Hanson: Madam Speaker—
MADAM SPEAKER: Have you got a point of order?
Mr Hanson: I do: a point of order on relevance. The question was very specific. It really requires a “yes” or “no”—whether it is only Labor that has brought in a co-payment ever and whether the minister currently charges a co-payment for emergency dental treatment, including for the most disadvantaged in our community, I add.
Dr Bourke: On the point of order.
MADAM SPEAKER: On the point of order, Dr Bourke.
Dr Bourke: It is not for the opposition to direct the minister on how to answer his question. The minister has the discretion to answer as long as he is relevant to the question.
MADAM SPEAKER: The question was about a co-payment. It was in two parts: it was about the introduction of what I presume is a Medicare co-payment, which is probably outside the minister’s ministerial responsibility, and about a dental co-payment. Reminding the minister that he should be directly relevant, I will ask him to answer the question in 49 seconds.
MR CORBELL: I have concluded my answer, Madam Speaker.
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