Labor senator Katy Gallagher rejects that Canberra's bulk billing rates would be better if it was a marginal seat. Footage Hansard
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 I'm hearing from Canberrans is this is urgent and this would affect your staff, your grads,
00:05 thousands of Canberrans out there who are really struggling to find a bulk billing GP. I'd love to
00:11 see this get the same attention it would potentially get if this was a more marginal electorate.
00:19 I don't know, I don't want to be cynical but...
00:21 I reject that as someone who's spent about the last 15 years working specifically on trying
00:28 to ensure Canberrans get access to affordable and accessible health care.
00:33 It's not fair to come in here and say that you think it's because we're not a marginal seat.
00:38 You said the gap is so huge.
00:40 Yeah, okay.
00:41 It's such a no-liar.
00:42 Yeah, and it's complex. The reasons aren't related to electoral boundaries.
00:46 That's why we've got such amazing brains in the Department of Health.
00:50 Well, you know, your interest in it is understandable but people have been
00:57 working for years on this.
00:58 No, I acknowledge that.
00:59 Well, you just said that it's because it's not a marginal electorate.
01:03 Well, I'm saying...
01:03 Senator, at this point, it's the first time I've said it today but this process works best when
01:08 questions are put and heard in silence and answers are given and heard in silence. If we could return
01:12 to that. And I'll rotate in the call in a couple of minutes, Senator Pogge.
01:15 Thank you, Chair. I guess my concern, I'm not trying to be a... I don't know what the term is
01:24 but I'm genuinely concerned that we don't have... I'm grateful there's a review but we don't have
01:28 a plan for Canberrans when there's a 25% gap between some of the wealthiest electorates in
01:36 the country in Sydney.
01:38 [BLANK_AUDIO]