40 years ago Labor successfully fought to introduce decent affordable healthcare for all Australians through Medibank.

 

It took a historic joint sitting of Parliament on this day in 1974 to introduce universal healthcare. The Liberal and National Party fought tooth and nail to oppose it and 40 years later the Abbott Government is again trying to deny all Australians this basic right.

 

It was a Liberal Government and a Liberal Prime Minister that tore down Medibank, and it took another Labor Government and another Labor Prime Minister to rebuild it in 1984 as Medicare.

 

Every Coalition Government over the last 40 years has attacked Medicare and sought to dismantle universal healthcare. The Abbott Government is no exception.

 

Tony Abbott’s GP Tax and $50 billion in hospital cuts are nothing less than a savage assault on Medicare. The Liberals won’t be satisfied until Medicare is destroyed.

 

Just as we have for 40 years, Labor will fight to protect universal healthcare in this country.

 

Labor believes it should be your Medicare card, not your credit card, that determines what kind of healthcare you receive.

 

Only Labor believes all Australians have a basic right to a decent health system where your access to a hospital bed doesn’t depend on your capacity to pay.

 

Labor built Medicare. Labor will protect Medicare.

 

WEDNESDAY, 6 AUGUST 2014

 

MEDIA CONTACT: LEADERS OFFICE MEDIA UNIT 02 6277 4053

                             STEPHEN SPENCER (KING) 0423 596 573