Labor Candidate for Flynn Matt Burnett and Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd trade verbal barbs over Medicare

“We don’t want to see a situation where Central Queenslanders are having to make a decision about whether to see a doctor or put food on the table for their families.”

Labor Candidate for Flynn Matt Burnett BITS Medical Centre Doctor Gaston Boulanger and Senator Murray Watt at the BITS Medical Centre on Thursday morning.

The major parties have resorted to a war of words in the effort to provide central and regional Queensland with adequate and accessible healthcare.

Visiting Boyne Island-Tannum Sands Medical Centre Thursday morning, Labor candidate for Flynn and Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett spoke about the impact poor healthcare was having on regional Queensland.

“The price to go and see your GP has doubled since the Liberal National Party took power in Australia,” he said.

Senator Murray Watt said the Labor Party did not want to see a situation where Central Queenslanders had to make a decision about whether to see a doctor or put food on the table for their families.

“What we have seen, even from the department of health’s own figures, is that the cost of obtaining basic medical care is becoming more and more expensive for the average person,” he said.

“Since the Liberal government was elected in 2013, the out of pocket cost to go and see a specialist has increased by 50 per cent on average and the out of pocket to go and see a GP in this region have increased by about 20 per cent.”

Mr Watt said if there was one core value that Labor had it was that Australians were entitled to good, quality medical care without having to pay for it.

“That is what Medicare is all about, but unfortunately under this government people are having to pay more to go and see a doctor and we don’t want to see a doctor,” he said.

“In dollar terms for the average person to go and see a specialist in the Gladstone region they now have to pay $100 out of their own pockets for a specialist appointment and about $40 more to see a GP.”

Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd said contrary to Labor’s claims, bulk-billing rates under the Liberal-National Government were at a record high, 88.7 per cent for the period from July 2020 to March 2021.

“This is 6.7 percentage points higher than the same period in 2012-13 (82.0 per cent) – when Labor were last in government,” Mr O’Dowd said.

“Providing Australians with affordable access to universal health care is a key pillar of the Australian Government’s Long Term National Health Plan.

“Through the 2021-22 Budget, the government is investing $125.7 billion, an increase of over $6 billion, over the forward estimates as part of its ongoing commitment to guarantee Medicare.

“This includes $204.6 million to extend the Medicare Benefits Schedule telehealth arrangements until 31 December 2021, bringing the total investment in telehealth to $3.6 billion.”

Mr O’Dowd said that was continuing to provide access to health services for all Australians regardless of where they lived.

“Importantly patients whose movements are restricted by a state or territory public health order can continue to access support through telehealth,” he said.

“Information about practices that offer bulk billed services is available via the ‘service finder’ Healthdirect at www.healthdirect.gov.au.”