Pauline Hanson wants photo ID on Medicare cards to fight black market meds

Pauline Hanson has said Medicare cards should have photo ID on them to stop ‘doctor-shoppers’ from selling medications on the black market. VOTE IN OUR READER POLL

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says a simple change to Medicare cards could provide a solution to prevent ‘doctor-shoppers’ from selling prescription medications on the black market.

Hanson wants to see cards carry photographic identification in a push to stop pill fraudsters.

As the Queensland senator’s bid to host a national vote on the country’s immigration levels was shut down in the Senate, Ms Hanson also urged it to support her private bill on Medicare.

She warned that Medicare fraud was costing Australian taxpayers millions.

“It’s about time we started to clean up our health act because the cost to the taxpayers is exorbitant, and we can’t give the people in this country the decent health care that they need,” she told parliament.

DO YOU WANT YOUR PHOTO ON YOUR MEDICARE CARD? VOTE BELOW

Senator Pauline Hanson at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

The veteran senator said people from overseas were pulling a “stunt” by applying for refugee status to obtain a bridging visa, allowing them to stay in Australia and commit fraud.

“These people are doctor-shopping. Then they get their scripts filled, take the medication back to their own country and sell it on the black market,” she said.

Senator Hanson also took aim at reciprocal arrangements with a slew of European nations including the UK and Ireland which allow people from overseas to access public health care in Australia.

She said Australia was “backwards” in terms of its relaxed attitude to Medicare, and felt photo ID would be a step towards fixing the problem.

Barnaby admits fault, as Hanson blasts him for crying poor

Senator Hanson wants to see photo ID on Medicare cards. Picture: Supplied

“Even those people out there who care to wear a burqa should actually show their face on their Medicare card,” she said.

Liberal senator Dean Smith said there were adequate measures in place to tackle fraud across government-subsidised health services.

“The government has a keen eye on these sorts of issues but the remedy is not what is being proposed in this particular bill,” he told the upper house.

Both major parties warned the One Nation proposal would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, without a proper case being made for the need for photo ID. Debate on the bill was adjourned.

IMMIGRATION PLEBISCITE IDEA CANNED

Hanson’s idea for a plebiscite to determine how Australians feel about the amount of migrants who are allowed to live and work in the country has been defeated today, 54-2.

Her only backer was fellow One Nationer Malcolm Roberts.

Senate says No: Senator Malcolm Roberts rubs his eyes as he and Senator Pauline Hanson (R) listen to debate around her request for the Senate to support a vote on immigration numbers. Picture: Getty

Hanson argued the bill was not racist and accused her naysayers of putting the issue into the “too hard basket”.

Before the election, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a reduction to the cap on the country’s migration program from 190,000 to 160,000 places.

“Australia has thrived from a steady population growth and is the most successful immigration nation in the world and our plan will ensure our country continues to lead the way. But over the last two decades, the infrastructure and services have not kept pace, causing congestion on our roads and public transport particularly in Melbourne, Sydney and South East Queensland,” he said at the time.

After the flat out rejection in the Senate, Hanson expressed her disappointment.

“It’s not for me, it’s for the Australian people. They have never had a say on the number of migrants coming into the country, they have to suffer the consequences,” she said.

.@PaulineHansonOz calls for national plebiscite on migration levels:

Why don’t we look at why Australians aren’t having children? Because they can’t afford them. I’d like to see the home grown Australian rather than bringing in migrants.

MORE: https://t.co/pKMBuFXuVk #amagenda pic.twitter.com/x820r2n2JA

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) July 29, 2019

CALLS FOR PARTNER VISA CRACKDOWN

Hanson’s proposal comes as a new report found Australia was ‘very generous’ in terms of its partner visa system.

The Australian Population Research Institute study found thousands of former overseas students residing in Australia are being allowed to stay by way of marriage to a local.

An Australian resident over 18, unemployed, on a welfare benefit and still living at home is currently eligible to sponsor a spouse or partner.

Migrants who also recently got their own permanent residency in Australia are also eligible.

Report author and institute head Dr Bob Birrell said it was extraordinary that about 40,000 partner visas — or one quarter of the total migration program — were issued last year, with another 79,000 ­applications in the queue.

“The scale of these numbers can be appreciated by comparing them with the total number of marriages contracted in Australia in 2017, which was 112,000,” he told The Herald Sun.

Dr Birrell holds the view that the country’s partner visa rules are being exploited.

Originally published as Pauline Hanson wants photo ID on Medicare cards to fight black market meds