David Pocock and Katy Gallagher clash over bulk billing rates in Canberra

Labor senator Katy Gallagher rejects that Canberra's bulk billing rates would be better if it was a marginal seat. Footage Hansard

Transcript

00:00 I'm hearing from Canberrans is this is urgent and this would affect your staff, your grads,

00:05 thousands of Canberrans out there who are really struggling to find a bulk billing GP. I'd love to

00:11 see this get the same attention it would potentially get if this was a more marginal electorate.

00:19 I don't know, I don't want to be cynical but...

00:21 I reject that as someone who's spent about the last 15 years working specifically on trying

00:28 to ensure Canberrans get access to affordable and accessible health care.

00:33 It's not fair to come in here and say that you think it's because we're not a marginal seat.

00:38 You said the gap is so huge.

00:40 Yeah, okay.

00:41 It's such a no-liar.

00:42 Yeah, and it's complex. The reasons aren't related to electoral boundaries.

00:46 That's why we've got such amazing brains in the Department of Health.

00:50 Well, you know, your interest in it is understandable but people have been

00:57 working for years on this.

00:58 No, I acknowledge that.

00:59 Well, you just said that it's because it's not a marginal electorate.

01:03 Well, I'm saying...

01:03 Senator, at this point, it's the first time I've said it today but this process works best when

01:08 questions are put and heard in silence and answers are given and heard in silence. If we could return

01:12 to that. And I'll rotate in the call in a couple of minutes, Senator Pogge.

01:15 Thank you, Chair. I guess my concern, I'm not trying to be a... I don't know what the term is

01:24 but I'm genuinely concerned that we don't have... I'm grateful there's a review but we don't have

01:28 a plan for Canberrans when there's a 25% gap between some of the wealthiest electorates in

01:36 the country in Sydney.

01:38 [BLANK_AUDIO]