Health Care Cuts

I thank the member opposite in telling us that we did not get the memo for confirming the rumour that we have been hearing. We read the papers yesterday. We have certainly got the memo. But, most importantly, we remember the Prime Minister's promise—no cuts to health. We know what happened to that. We have watched since last year's budget. We have watched the government attack Medicare time and time again with a price signal, a value signal, a $7 GP tax, a $20 rebate cut, a $5 GP tax and four years worth of cuts to Medicare rebates.

The only signal that has resonated for us and for the public is that this government are hell-bent on their agenda to rip apart our universal healthcare system and to Americanise Medicare. We know that the attacks will continue. We know that there will be a another attack coming because the Prime Minister has told us on 53 occasions what a good and decent policy it is to rip up Medicare. Now we are watching a Prime Minister making a commitment that this is over, that the GP tax is gone and that he is the best friend of Medicare. But this is about his leadership. This is about shoring up his numbers. We know the attacks will come back. We will stand for Medicare. Labor have always stood for Medicare. We created Medicare, and we will protect Medicare.