Tony Abbott's double hit on sick in Lalor

Families in Lalor will be the hardest hit across Australia by Tony Abbott’s double hit on sick Australians, Joanne Ryan said today.

“The combination of Tony Abbott’s new GP tax and his medicines price hike mean sick Australians will pay more,” said Ms Ryan. “The sick and vulnerable will pay for Tony Abbott’s broken promises on health and that’s not right.”

Health Department figures obtained by Labor have revealed the GP Tax and medicine price hikes will cost sick Australians in Lalor $52 million more over the next four years - the highest amount across the country.

Tony Abbott promised the Australian people ‘no cuts to health’ before the election. He also promised families in Lalor that he was ‘about getting rid of taxes, not imposing new taxes’.

Tony Abbott broke that promise when he cut more than $50 billion from hospitals and hit sick Australians with a $7 GP Tax.

Tony Abbott also wants to force sick Australians to pay an extra $1.2 billion for medicines over the next four years. For patients in Lalor, it will mean paying 15 per cent more for prescription medicines.

The combination of the new GP tax and the medicines price hike will cost every single person in Lalor an average of $297. A cruel and heartless hit on those in Lalor that can least afford it, the sick and the vulnerable.

The Abbott Government‘s GP Tax will also put more pressure on Australia’s hospital system and lead to much worse health outcomes. The GP Tax and hospital cuts will increase emergency department waiting times and reduce the number of hospital beds across Lalor.

“Families in Lalor who are already struggling to make ends meet cannot afford to pay to take their sick child or elderly parent to the doctor or pay higher prices for essential medicines.”

“Labor is the only party that can be trusted with Australia’s health system and we will fight any attempt to dismantle universal healthcare in Australia.”