[Greens-Media] Greens seek to keep ALP honest on Private Health Insurance Rebate

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

01.12.04

Greens seek to keep ALP honest on Private Health Insurance Rebate

Following the Labor Party's decision to back the government's increase
in the Private Health Insurance Rebate Greens Senator Kerry Nettle has
signalled her intention to refer the Private Health Insurance Incentives
Amendment Bill 2004 to a Senate committee.

The bill will extend the Private Health Insurance Rebate from 30% to35%
for the over 65s and to 40% for those 70years and over, at an estimated
cost of  $445 million over four years.

"The Greens are appalled that whilst indigenous health programmes remain
dramatically under funded the government chooses to waste a further $445
million on subsidising private health insurance premiums," Senator
Nettle said.

"We expect the Labor party to support our referral of the bill to a
committee given their well publicised view that this measure is a waste
of public funds.

"The Greens expect any thorough inquiry to once again expose this policy
for the wasteful mess that it is. Even the Prime Minister has admitted
that this measure will not result in increased take up of private health
insurance by older Australians.

"This bill is nothing more than a payment of an election bribe. It will
do nothing to improve health outcomes, it will not result in any savings
for the public health system but will cost taxpayers half a billion
dollars a year.

"This government's privatisation agenda for our health system is costing
lives, particularly indigenous lives, lost as a result of public money
being directed away from public health programmes and into private
health insurance premiums."

Contact - Jon Edwards 0428 213 146