THE HON BILL SHORTEN MP
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
MEMBER FOR MARIBYRNONG
CATHERINE KING MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH
MEMBER FOR BALLARAT
MEDIA RELEASE
ABBOTT’S $715 MILLION GP TAX HIT ON FAMILIES
Medicare analysis released today show Tony Abbott’s new GP Tax will hurt families right across the country, with communities forking out millions of dollars every year for visits to their local doctor.
Based on recent Medicare figures, families in some communities could be slugged with more than $8 million every year in new doctors’ fees.
Families in Western Sydney will be worst hit, with 10 Western Sydney electorates facing tax hikes of more than $6 million a year if the Prime Minister presses ahead with his GP Tax.
In the electorate of Chifley, where nearly 99 per cent of GP services are bulk billed, the GP Tax will take $8.2 million dollars out of the pockets of local families every year.
In the Victorian electorate of Lalor, families will be slugged with $7.5 million in new doctors’ fees each year.
In the Queensland electorate of Rankin, the GP Tax will cost local families $6.2 million a year.
Make no mistake, the Prime Minister’s GP Tax will hit families who can afford it the least.
Labor believes that all Australians should get the healthcare they need – not just the healthcare Tony Abbott says they can afford.
The Prime Minister’s new GP Tax will mean more parents will be out of pocket when they take their sick kids to the doctor, or families just won’t get the care they need.
Tony Abbott said before the election he wouldn’t bring in any new taxes. His new GP tax is a broken promise to millions of families that they won’t forget.
Every time parents take their kids to the doctor, every time they reach into their pocket to pay the Prime Minister’s GP Tax, they will remember this broken promise.
Labor will continue to fight any attempt by this government to dismantle universal healthcare in Australia.
TOP TEN ELECTORATES THAT WILL BE HARDEST HIT BY TONY ABBOTT’S NEW GP TAX
| RANK | ELECTORATE | TOTAL GP SERVICES 2010 | BULK-BILLING RATE | $6 GP TAX PER SERVICE |
| 1 | Chifley (NSW) | 1,367,087 | 98.90% | $8.29 million |
| 2 | Blaxland (NSW) | 1,297,709 | 98.20% | $7.93 million |
| 3 | Watson (NSW) | 1,264,566 | 97.80% | $7.75 million |
| 4 | Lalor (VIC) | 1,150,072 | 90.90% | $7.58 million |
| 5 | Holt (VIC) | 1,082,938 | 87.8% | $7.40 million |
| 6 | Fowler (NSW) | 1,195,967 | 98.2% | $7.30 million |
| 7 | Calwell (VIC) | 1,108,670 | 92.6% | $7.18 million |
| 8 | Parramatta (NSW) | 1,139,067 | 95.30% | $7.16 million |
| 9 | Gorton (VIC) | 1,048,279 | 88.90% | $7.07 million |
| 10 | McMahon (NSW) | 1,118,800 | 97.80% | $6.86 million |
Source: Medicare bulk billing data
WEDNESDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2014
MEDIA CONTACT: LEADERS OFFICE MEDIA UNIT 02 6277 4053; ALEXANDER WHITE (KING) 0488 134 359
