Federal Member for Isaacs, Mark Dreyfus today joined Dr Ganesh Naidoo and other doctors from the new Carrum Downs Medical Centre on the corner of Ballarto Road and McCormicks Road, in protest of the Turnbull Governments freeze to Medicare indexation.
The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Shadow Attorney General
Shadow Minister for the Arts
Federal Member for Isaacs
LABOR FIGHTING FOR MEDICARE IN CITY OF FRANKSTON
Federal Member for Isaacs, Mark Dreyfus today joined Dr Ganesh Naidoo and other doctors from the new Carrum Downs Medical Centre on the corner of Ballarto Road and McCormicks Road, in protest of the Turnbull Governments freeze to Medicare indexation.
The Carrum Downs community, like many communities across Australia, rely on bulk billing services to see their doctor. Mr Turnbulls cuts to Medicare and freeze to Medicare indexation will hurt local families in Carrum Downs and the wider City of Frankston, Mr Dreyfus said.
Nobody wants to head down the same path as America when it comes to our health system. Thats why a Shorten Labor Government will restore indexation of the Medicare Benefits Schedule from 1January2017.
Our community needs accessible, bulk-billed health services. These services are a part of a long tradition of universal healthcare in Australia, and Mr Turnbull is putting these services at risk. Once this Medicare freeze takes place, local residents will have to pay more and more for the healthcare services that have long been and should still be fully covered by Medicare, Mr Dreyfus said.
Labors policy has been costed independently by the Parliamentary Budget Office and will have an impact of $2.4 billion over the forward estimates (to 2019-20), and $12.2billion over the decade to 2026-27.
Labor will fund this policy through announced improvements to the Budget, including not proceeding with the new baby bonus, capping VET FEE HELP loans, and not proceeding with the tax cut for multinational companies.
For more information on Labors plan to protect Medicare please visit: http://www.100positivepolicies.org.au/a_stronger_medicare_for_all_australians_fact_sheet
FRIDAY, 3 JUNE 2016
