Mr LAMING (Bowman) (15:38): Those on the other side have an affliction with free stuff. I know that 30 years ago there was a leader of this country who wanted free health care. But do you know what? Not just Australia but the entire world has moved on. It was interesting for me in 1997 when I got my chance to meet the great man himself, Gough Whitlam. And, no, it was not out in Western Sydney, it was not in a public hospital. It was in Australia's finest private hospital, and he certainly had no problem with the fine system we have of public and private hospital provision. Let's be honest, we have a system where there is choice. I have no problem with both sides of this chamber exercising choice. But do not for one minute be so misguided as to think that the Medicare levy pays for Medicare. We have had two Labor spokespeople now say that the $10 million that we collect from the 1.5 per cent actually pays for Medicare. I suspect that I am now going to hear that a Labor government would be prepared to rule out, or otherwise, an increase to the Medicare levy to pay for Medicare—that's right, double it! The Medicare levy costs us all around $500 a year, if you are earning about one hundred grand a year, and an extra $500 for every $10,000 that you earn on top of that. That can add up over time—$50 for every $10,000 above that. That is what those higher income earners pay into the system. But that only pays for half of the cost of Medicare, which has gone from $9 billion to $18 billion over the last 10 years and will go up to $34 billion over the next 10 years. It is a challenge to bend the cost curve. Every economy in the world is working on bending that cost curve. But the poor unfortunate Labor Party is riveted, welded and stapled to this notion of free health care because their great leader said so in 1975. They are stuck with that notion. They are unable to review it and unable to reconstruct their thinking because it is all about the free stuff. Let's keep in mind that throughout the known world, and particularly here in a developed system like Australia's, people without financial means are bulk-billed and will continue to be. It will never be compulsory to charge a co-payment. That co-payment is still less than a Macca's meal deal—a quarter pounder mid-sized meal deal. The smartest, most talented and hardworking professionals in this community are worth $7 to spend some time with to look after your health. They are worthy of that payment. Do not take it from the doctors or the health planners on this side; talk to the doctors on your side. Opposition members interjecting— Mr LAMING: What? There are no doctors on the opposite side? Where are the doctors on that side? They are not including you over there, Dr Gillespie. Give me Dr Leigh over there, one of the finest minds who under any other system of merit would be opposition Treasurer by now—but not in the Labor Party. That fine Dr Leigh said that we need a moderate co-payment: … not enough to put a dent in your weekly budget, but enough to make you think twice before you call the doc. Perfectly said, Dr Leigh. Come and join the doctors over here and let's have a world-class health system. Now let's be honest, bulk-billing is still absolutely endemic— Dr Leigh interjecting— The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Hon. BC Scott ): The member for Fraser is interjecting outside of his place in this chamber. It is very disorderly to interject outside of your place in this chamber. Mr LAMING: in diagnostic radiology and pathology. As long as those requests are on the same form in pathology, there is only the one co-payment charged. Two-thirds of all items under Medicare when you see a doctor are exempted from the co-payment. Any of the chronic disease items are co-payment exempt. But let's go back to that Labor world. That was where they used to promise you the free stuff in the form of a super clinic—except they only built 33 of the 66 of them planned. And what were those buildings doing? Long before they could even find a GP to steal from the neighbouring general practice—because that is what they did—they turned all the lights on. That's right, in the member for Petrie's area there was no working super clinic; they just turned the lights on with a big cross outside! They delivered a super clinic, but what was undelivered was staff in it actually doing some work! Of course, we have the PBS co-payment. Right now, Australians pay around $6 to fill a script. But this lot will not pay the same amount to go and see the highest trade professionals in the health system. Who were the architects of the pharmaceutical co-payment? Labor. Who tried to dull the pharmaceutical co-payment without success? Labor. How much does it add up to over time over time? Sixty scripts at $6 adds up over a while, doesn't it? But oh no, we cannot have a $70 maximum capped out co-payment to see a doctor. The argument is so thin. The argument is riven with holes, like Swiss cheese. Let's move to private health insurance. That's right, you are quite prepared to nickel and dime average Australians by making health insurance more expensive. Out go the ancillaries and home come the allied health professionals from the regional areas because there is no work anymore. How much does it cost a patient to insure the continuity of their health care? This is a Labor government welded to the past, welded to the ideas of Whitlam and not keeping up with the future of a sustainable Medicare.