MEDICARE REBATES AND MENTAL HEALTH
Dr JENSEN(Tangney)(4.24 pm)—I wish to address this government’s appalling track record regarding compassion for vulnerable Australians and regarding financial management. The latest entry in this catastrophic record of lack of interest and incompetence is the shambles over the Medicare rebate for mental health services. As my colleague the shadow minister for health observed, the Minister for Health and Ageing had to do a partial backflip on this issue less than a week after the budget was brought down. The budget changes cut off Medicare rebates for care provided to the mentally ill by social workers and therapists. I know from letters, emails and personal contacts that these therapists are usually people with many years of invaluable experience in the area and they provide much needed assistance to Australians suffering from personal and debilitating conditions. This help can enable these Australians to lead happy and productive lives instead of being trapped in the invisible prison of mental illness.
I cannot imagine what prompted such a callous and uncaring move by the government. It was a real Barry Hall moment. But the government has form in this area. The government also had to make a similar backdown on the issue of cataract surgery—but not without a lot of kicking and screaming. The government stooped to the disgraceful level of ignoring two disallowance motions and blocking two attempts by the coalition and other senators to reinstate the original debates. Finally, the Rudd government and the minister for health had to make yet another humiliating backdown, which has become the hallmark of this bungle-ridden administration.
My office has been inundated with and is still getting emails in support of the bowel cancer screening program. As far as I am aware, the government refuses to make a long-term commitment to this excellent program, which can save many lives. I suspect that the main objection the government has is its typically small-minded hatred of great initiatives introduced by the previous coalition government. There are also so many excellent programs for which the government refuses to guarantee funding past the election. And we are supposed to take this government on trust? How can we, given its record of cuts, backflips and disingenuous promises that go no further than the next election?
The only thing that the Rudd government is interested in is winning the next election. It does not care how many of Australia’s most vulnerable it must trample to achieve this, which is why these continuous attacks on Medicare rebates are all the more contemptible.
I cannot imagine what prompted such a callous and uncaring move by the government. It was a real Barry Hall moment. But the government has form in this area. The government also had to make a similar backdown on the issue of cataract surgery—but not without a lot of kicking and screaming. The government stooped to the disgraceful level of ignoring two disallowance motions and blocking two attempts by the coalition and other senators to reinstate the original debates. Finally, the Rudd government and the minister for health had to make yet another humiliating backdown, which has become the hallmark of this bungle-ridden administration.
My office has been inundated with and is still getting emails in support of the bowel cancer screening program. As far as I am aware, the government refuses to make a long-term commitment to this excellent program, which can save many lives. I suspect that the main objection the government has is its typically small-minded hatred of great initiatives introduced by the previous coalition government. There are also so many excellent programs for which the government refuses to guarantee funding past the election. And we are supposed to take this government on trust? How can we, given its record of cuts, backflips and disingenuous promises that go no further than the next election?
The only thing that the Rudd government is interested in is winning the next election. It does not care how many of Australia’s most vulnerable it must trample to achieve this, which is why these continuous attacks on Medicare rebates are all the more contemptible.
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