Mr ABBOTT (Warringah—Prime Minister) (14:47): To put the Deputy Leader of the Opposition's mind at rest, we consulted, we heard and we responded. It is as simple as that: we consulted, we heard and we responded— Mr Hockey: They said that they hated Labor! Mr ABBOTT: That is exactly right. It has always been open— Mr Husic interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Chifley. Mr ABBOTT: It has always been open to members of the medical profession to charge a fee. I presume from their questions that members opposite propose to take away that right. What we are doing— Mr Perrett interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Moreton! The member for Moreton will leave under standing order 94(a). The member for Moreton then left the chamber. Opposition members interjecting— Mr ABBOTT: We do take Medicare seriously—unlike members opposite, who do not Medicare seriously and do not take this parliament seriously. Madam Speaker, we take Medicare seriously. We are very conscious of the fact that it costs us $20 billion a year now; it cost us $8 billion a decade ago; it will cost us $34 billion a decade hence. We take it seriously enough to want to protect it and preserve it forever. We take it seriously enough to want to make it more efficient and more effective; we take it seriously enough to want to work hand-in-glove with the medical profession to make our great Medicare system better in the future than it has been in the past. Opposition members interjecting— Mr ABBOTT: Madam Speaker, I conclude this answer by indicating that if members opposite were serious about Medicare, we would not see this constant giggling, this constant caterwauling. If they have serious questions, they will treat the answers with the seriousness that they deserve.