Mr BUTLER (Hindmarsh—Minister for Health and Aged Care and Deputy Leader of the House) (14:53): I'm asked about the former government's record on bulk-billing. I am very pleased to talk about their record on bulk-billing because it is clear that, as the former government were ending their time in government, as we came to government, bulk-billing was in freefall. I don't make up that word. That was the description used by the then president of the College of General Practitioners. Really, it should be no surprise. When the Leader of the Opposition was health minister, when he couldn't abolish bulk-billing altogether, he started a freeze on the Medicare rebate that endured for six long years. The SPEAKER: The minister will pause. He is less than one minute in, but it was a pretty tight question on facts and figures. It was about bulk-billing rates. We are going to hear from— Mr Taylor interjecting— The SPEAKER: Member for Hume, when I am dealing with a point of order, I am asking you to help me to help the chamber. Mr Taylor interjecting— The SPEAKER: Great. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order? Mr Fletcher: It's on relevance. It was a very tight question. The bulk-billing rate was 84 per cent under the coalition. It's 74 per cent under Labor. We are not after rhetorical flourishes and equivocation. We are after the number. If can't give it he should simply sit down. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the House on a point of order? Mr Burke: Just adding to what was said there by the Manager of Opposition Business—therefore, to be directly relevant, it is relevant for the minister to refer to bulk-billing under the coalition and what happened then and bulk-billing under this government. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Everyone, just cool it. You asked a question about figures. You asked about bulk-billing rates of the former government and this government. Obviously, there are figures involved and there's a comparison involved. I don't know where the figures have come from or been sourced. I am just going to make sure the minister is directly relevant. He is going to keep to the subject that he was asked about and not stray into any other policies and bulk-billing rates. Mr BUTLER: The figure that the Manager of Opposition Business uses also includes, as I understand it—I will stand corrected—consults for COVID-19 vaccinations, which did artificially boost the bulk-billing rate. We have been very clear that our interest was in the bulk-billing rates for GP consults. Opposition members interjecting— Mr BUTLER: I hear all the interjections. They might not be interested in the bulk-billing rate for GP consults, but that was the basis on which we started reporting bulk-billing data. GP colleges and the rest of the representatives said they could not tell from the data published by the former government what the bulk-billing rate was for GP visits, and GP visits are the core service in the Medicare system. So there are two things. The former government did not include transparent data on bulk-billing. They artificially inflated it with COVID-19 vaccinations. The second thing is that the trajectory was clear. I will say this to wind it up. I am happy any day of the week to have a debate on bulk-billing with this man, the worst health minister in the history of Medicare. I don't say that as an opinion. That was the opinion of Australia's doctors. The second-worst health minister in the history of Medicare was the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, because she froze the Medicare rebate for her entire time as health minister. Under this Treasurer, the Medicare rebate has increased in two years by more than the former government managed in nine long years. (Time expired) The SPEAKER: The member for Gilmore has the call. Mr Dutton interjecting— Mr Butler interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Health and Aged Care and the Leader of the Opposition are going to cease interjecting. Dr Chalmers interjecting— The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is now warned. I'm sure people want to continue with question time. Now that everyone is not interjecting and the House has come to order, we will hear from the member for Gilmore.