Liberal candidate for Dobell defends support for means testing Medicare ‘theory’

An eastern suburbs doctor seeking election in a marginal seat has been forced to defend comments questioning the sustainability of Australia’s universal healthcare system.

An eastern suburbs doctor running as the Liberal candidate in a marginal Central Coast seat has questioned the sustainability of Australia’s healthcare system, previously backing Medicare co-payment and means testing alternatives.

Michael Feneley was selected as the Liberal candidate for Dobell after a number of other potential candidates bowed out of the race. He has failed three times to win the Sydney seat of Kingsford Smith and unsuccessfully contested the state seat of Maroubra in 2011.

Dr Feneley bought a home in Dobell last year, but until recently his online presence listed his home as Randwick.

He has defended several articles he wrote before being selected to run, in which he argued Medicare could be means tested in public hospitals and most Australians could afford a GP co-payment.

“It is clear most of us are capable of making a modest contribution to our own healthcare,” he said in 2015.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (left) and Federal Liberal candidate for Dobell Michael Feneley in Wyong on the NSW Central Coast. Picture: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi

Dr Feneley said Australia’s system allowing anyone to receive free treatment in a public hospital was “very poor targeting of the taxpayer dollar”.

“The richest in our land can opt to be treated free of charge in our best public hospitals, even if they carry private health insurance,” he said.

In 2008, he wrote that doctors would have to restrict some treatments because they were too expensive to make them available to everyone.

Dr Feneley did not walk back his controversial comments, but says he “wholeheartedly” supports guaranteed Medicare. Picture: AAP Image/Craig Wilson

Dr Feneley said he was only highlighting alternative options to improve the sustainability of Medicare.

“In the 2015 article, I was canvassing a range of options on making Medicare more accessible and sustainable by improving the efficiency of its administration,” he said.

Dr Feneley said in 2008 he had concerns about the then-Labor government’s “ability to properly fund our health system and maintain its continued broad access, and I theorised about the impact that might have”.

Dr Feneley said he “wholeheartedly” supported the government’s position that “Medicare is guaranteed”.

Dobell’s Labor MP Emma McBride said residents deserved a local MP who “cares about our community and will stand up in parliament to protect and strengthen Medicare”.

Originally published as Liberal candidate for Dobell defends support for means testing Medicare ‘theory’