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Hockey denies split with PM over Medicare

Treasurer Joe Hockey has denied reports that he was at odds with the Prime Minister over the recently-dumped cuts to Medicare rebates, describing it as “gossip”.

Ministers have moved quickly to try and limit fallout from the government’s backdown on cuts to the Medicare rebate, as leaks from the senior ranks of cabinet cast a pall over the last few weeks of the Parliamentary break.

Treasurer Joe Hockey dismissed reports of a split with Prime Minister Tony Abbott over the $20 cut for short visits when it was first decided upon in December. According to one story, which was attributed to a source within the powerful six-person Expenditure Review Committee, Mr Hockey and former Health Minister Peter Dutton argued against the move but Mr Abbott insisted.

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Joanna Health writes on News specialising in Politics, Climate, Health. Based in our Canberra newsroom, Joanna is the Financial Review's online political correspondent. Connect with Joanna on Twitter.

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    Original URL: https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/hockey-denies-split-with-pm-over-medicare-20150119-12t3la