Health Minister Mark Butler is doing the media rounds this morning, promoting the bulk-billing package that the government says will lead to 9 in 10 Australians not paying out of pocket to see a GP by 2030.
The announcement has been well received by advocates and doctors groups including the AMA. It’s the largest investment in medicare in its history and the announcement is being billed as a key cost of living measure.
Butler is on AM, asked why the changes will only begin in November rather than coming into effect now.
The first of November is when the changes to these rebates typically occur, that gives practices time to update their software. And you know, we think that that’s a pretty quick start to a very, very substantial change in how Medicare operates. And as I said, for the first time, we’ll be giving bulk billing support to all Australians, including those who don’t have a concession card.
Butler’s also asked about calls to restructure medicare around people who have more chronic illnesses in Australia’s ageing population.
Butler says he agrees with those calls from the AMA:
The current structure of Medicare really suits the patient profile of the 1980s and 90s, more than it does the patient profile of today, someone who is more likely to have complex chronic disease. So I agree very strongly with the AMA on that, and we’ve we’re starting to roll out some programs to structure funding to deliver multi-disciplinary care that wraps around the patient, rather than single episodes of care.
Josh Butler
Peter Dutton has again condemned “Russia’s illegal, unprovoked, and abominable invasion of Ukraine” on the third anniversary of the war.
In a joint statement with shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie and shadow foreign minister David Coleman, the opposition leader spoke of the “horrors and heartache of war” and described Ukraine as a “country of heroes.”
Three years ago, Putin expected a quick victory. He thought the people of Ukraine would swiftly surrender. But Putin miscalculated. He underestimated. He was wrong.
Despite US president Donald Trump’s recent criticisms of Ukraine and its president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator”, Dutton’s Coalition has stood firm in backing Ukraine. Dutton’s statement didn’t mention Trump but set out its position on questions of dictatorship.
President Zelenskyy has been a brave and inspirational leader in staring down a murderous dictator.
The Coalition statement went on to call for a resolution of the war that “does not reward the murderous despot Putin – as any reward would embolden other revanchist autocrats to follow in his tyrannical footsteps.”
Josh Butler
The Albanese government has condemned Russia on the third anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine, again calling for Vladimir Putin to immediately end the conflict.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, in a statement to be delivered on Monday, demanded Russia abide by international law. They’ve released an advance excerpt from the government statement.
Today marks three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For three years, Ukraine has bravely resisted Russia’s illegal and immoral war of aggression.
Australia mourns the loss of life of Ukraine’s citizens and defenders, and the generational toll of Russia’s brutality. Australia continues to stand with Ukraine.
The government said it had committed over $1.5 billion to help Ukraine defend itself, including more than $1.3 billion in military support.
“Once again, Australia calls on Russia to immediately end its war and adhere fully to its obligations under international law, including in relation to the protection of civilians and treatment of prisoners of war,” Albanese, Marles and Wong said.
Working with Ukraine and our partners, Australia supports a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
Krishani Dhanji
Good morning,
Krishani Dhanji here with you for this Senate estimates week.
You can certainly feel the election getting closer with that huge $8.5bn bulk billing announcement the government made yesterday, which the opposition hurriedly matched. There’s already plenty of reaction to that package this morning.
There’ll also be plenty coming up from Senate estimates today, it’ll be the last opportunity before the election for the opposition and crossbench to test a lot of Labor’s announcements and programs, and we’ll bring you that as it comes.
So put your seatbelts on, it’s going to be a big one!
Article by:Source: Krishani Dhanji
