SENATOR DEBORAH ONEILL

Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Health

Senator for New South Wales

SENATOR THE HON. JAN MCLUCAS
Shadow Minister for Mental Health
Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Senator for Queensland

SENATOR THE HON. DOUG CAMERON
Shadow Minister for Human Services
Senator for New South Wales

MEDIA RELEASE

ABBOTT GOVERNMENT REFUSING TO LISTEN ON GP TAX

The Abbott Government has refused to consult with some of Australia's peak medical groups over its
disastrous GP Tax.

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine
today both told the Senate Select Committee on Health they had not been consulted about the Tax.

The ACEM told the committee its request for a meeting had so far been ignored by Minister Dutton's
office, while Allied Health Professions Australia said its request to meet the Health Minister had also
been rebuffed.

Committee chair Senator Deborah O'Neill said it was clear the Abbott Government was not
interested in listening to expert advice on its disastrous health policies.

"All the evidence shows just how bad the GP Tax will be for Australia's health system, but the Abbott
Government refuses to listen", Senator O'Neill said.

"Witness after witness has told the committee the GP Tax will be a disaster for public hospitals, but
the Health Minister won't even speak to some of Australia's most respected medical bodies."

Shadow Minister for Mental Health Jan McLucas said today's evidence confirmed the GP Tax would
only add to the strain on public hospitals.

"Witnesses today made clear the GP Tax would turn people away from seeing a doctor, and instead
drive them into the already overstretched public hospital emergency departments," Senator
McLucas said.

"The College of Emergency Medicine was also scathing about suggestions public hospitals could levy
their own tax to counteract this, denouncing this as a 'crazy' idea."

Shadow Minister for Human Service Doug Cameron said the GP Tax has been roundly condemned by
witnesses to the inquiry

"The evidence is now clear this tax had been driven by Joe Hockey and the Treasury with no
consideration for Australia's health system and patients will be the ones paying the price."

The Inquiry is continuing to hear evidence in Melbourne today (Wednesday), before moving to
Adelaide on Thursday and Perth on Friday.

For more information
see http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Health or contact the
Committee Secretariat on telephone: 02 6277 3079 or email: health.sen@aph.gov.au

WEDNESDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2014

MEDIA CONTACT:

ANNE CHARLTON 0400 433 743 (O'NEILL)
BELINDA FEATHERSTONE 0408 743 457 (McLUCAS)