Ms CLAYDON (Newcastle) (15:45): What an astonishing week in politics it's been. First off, we have a Deputy Prime Minister whose legitimacy is currently completely under a cloud. This House has had to refer the case of the Deputy Prime Minister to the High Court to see if he legitimately can sit in this House. We've had the foreign minister creating her own diplomatic incident this week— Ms Price interjecting— Ms CLAYDON: I'm coming back to health, don't you worry, Member for Durack. I have health firmly in my sights. But these are desperate times for a desperate government. Remember that look of desperation on Malcolm Turnbull's face on election night when he nearly lost? The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Coulton ): Member for Newcastle—order! Ms CLAYDON: You're quite right, Deputy Speaker. He is the Prime Minister, at least for now. He stood before the Australian people. A very distressed Prime Minister, he was—a man with a 'majority of just one, looking really nervous.' He stood in front of the cameras and said, 'I've learnt my lesson about Medicare. Hands off Medicare. I know what we've done is beyond the pale.' Let's face it: if we examined the record of members opposite on Medicare, we'd reveal a truly scary story. It's a 40-year story of ongoing attacks on and undermining of Medicare since day one. It's in the Liberals' DNA. You can't help yourself. And you wonder why Australian men and women don't trust you when it comes to health. Let's just remember why. When— The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Newcastle—order! The member for Newcastle will address her remarks through the chair. Ms CLAYDON: Quite right. I am pointing out that it is of little surprise that the Australian people do not trust the government when it comes to Medicare or health in general in this country. It's of no surprise. We heard earlier the minister congratulating himself for the release of a whole series of new drugs on the PBS. There's no argument on this side of the House whatsoever. You know what? We actually think it's the job of the Minister for Health to find ways to get new drugs, much-needed medications, onto the PBS list. It's a measure we wholeheartedly support, but we say that that's actually the job of the Minister for Health. So good on you for doing your job. What we on this side of the House, however, are concerned about is the government's continuing undermining of Australia's universal health system. The member for Macarthur and I have had the extraordinary pleasure of talking with Australian men and women across the country as part of Labor's Medicare task force. Everywhere we go we hear the lived reality of Australian men and women struggling to access quality health care in Australia. We know about the impact of out-of-pocket expenses for Australian men and women. We know, for example, as the speaker before me rightly mentioned, about what I'd call the partial defrost that's going on at the moment—the Medicare slow thaw. Much to the horror of many Australians who were, at first blush, delighted to think that the government had had a change of heart, that they were going to back off having learned their lesson on Medicare, when they tried to actually take advantage of the changes, tried to find and access bulk-billing, they were disappointed. They found, very early in the piece, that if you're a woman— Mr Littleproud interjecting— Ms CLAYDON: Member for Maranoa, you're not a woman, but if you had any experience of trying to get a Pap smear test done in Australia, for example, you would find out, very quickly, that you don't get to bulk-bill your Pap smear test. Now, you might think that 50 per cent of this nation's population don't deserve— Mr Littleproud interjecting— The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Coulton ): Member for Maranoa, keep quiet. Ms CLAYDON: What have you got against women, Member for Maranoa? Really! This is simply one more example. Out-of-pocket expenses, limited access to bulk-billing doctors and GPs in Australia, cuts to the public dental health scheme—all of these things undermine Australia's universal health care. Labor created Medicare. It is Labor that will always protect Medicare. (Time expired) The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Berowra, I remind the member for Maranoa that he will be getting his turn shortly. Until then he'll remain silent. I call the member for Berowra.