Wednesday, 30 August 2023

Payroll tax

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:21): My question is to the Minister for Health. Yesterday the minister stated in relation to the government’s decision to charge payroll tax on tenant healthcare professionals:

… when it comes to payroll tax absolutely nothing has changed.

Earlier today –

Daniel Andrews interjected.

Emma KEALY: Why do you speak over women? Why is it always like that?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Premier! I am on my feet. I expect the house to be quiet. Both sides of the chamber are being disrespectful to members on their feet.

Emma KEALY: Earlier today the Leader of the Opposition, the shadow health minister, the Shadow Treasurer and I met with a group of very concerned general practitioners, many of whom have just received Labor’s new health tax bill for the first time, which has also been backdated for five years. If nothing has changed, why are these doctors receiving Labor’s health tax bill for the first time?

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Medical Research) (14:23): Once again I direct the member for Lowan to the answer to my question yesterday. The member for Lowan can construe this any which way she wants. She can continue to come into this place and make up things. That is her prerogative. But we are very clear. I know, I have worked with the Treasurer –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Kew!

Mary-Anne THOMAS: We have met with the RACGP, we have met with the AMA and we have met with other representatives, and we continue to be open to meet with them. In fact I meet with them regularly. But let me be clear: there has been no change. Now, I can stand here and I can say that time and time again, but if you want to know and if you are interested in what is really driving –

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the minister has not responded to why these doctors are receiving Labor’s health tax bill for the first time, which for some doctors we heard was a bill of $500,000.

The SPEAKER: Member for Lowan, your point of order is around relevance. That is all you need to state. The Minister for Health was being relevant to the question that was asked. I cannot direct her how to answer the question.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: Again, the law in relation to the way in which payroll tax is applied in this state has not changed. Can I be any clearer? Let me tell you what is driving the crisis in general practice here in this state. It has been almost a decade of neglect from the previous federal Liberal–National parties. If you do not believe me –

John Pesutto: We don’t.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: Right, okay. Thank you. Let me just refer you then to comments made by the AMA president Steve Robson.

Jacinta Allan: Is he a doctor?

Mary-Anne THOMAS: He is a doctor. He is an actual doctor, and he had this to say. Earlier this year, when commenting on the challenges that the new federal Labor government faces in this area, he said that the Albanese government:

… has inherited a significant problem … not of its own making … that has resulted in general practice barely surviving –

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this is a state government matter. It is Labor’s new health tax that they are getting charged for the first time. Please bring the minister back to the question that was asked.

The SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant to the question.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: As I was saying, when it comes to understanding what is driving the crisis in primary care, you need look no further than the actions of the previous federal Liberal–National coalition government. Did we hear a peep from any of those on the other side when, year after year, there were Medicare rebate freezes? Not a peep.

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, question time is not an opportunity to debate the question, nor is it a time to attack the opposition. Out of respect for the general practitioners who are looking at shutting their doors next week, I ask you to bring the minister back to the question.

The SPEAKER: Minister, I would ask you to come back to the question.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: I will make the point once again because it seems no matter how many times I try to explain it to the member for Lowan, she will choose only to understand or hear what she wants to hear. But let me say this: there has been no change.

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:27): General practitioners whom I met with today stated that being forced to pay Labor’s health tax for the first time will have a severe impact on access to doctors across Victoria. Will the Minister for Health take action to ensure that the cost of GP consultations will not increase, bulk-billing services will not be lost and clinics will not go bankrupt and close, due to this tax on health?

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Medical Research) (14:28): What we know here in Victoria at the moment is there is only one place where you can be guaranteed access to free health care and that is a state government funded priority primary care centre. We stepped in where the federal government failed. We had the Liberal–National parties ripping $4 billion from primary care, and those apologists on the other side for those actions stood there cheering them on. To have a question from the member for Lowan – she has got a lot to say now; where was she when those on the other side were ripping funds from the National Centre for Farmer Health in her own electorate?

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the minister knows not to debate the question. I would ask you to bring the minister back to the question.

The SPEAKER: The minister was debating the question. I ask her to come back to the question that was asked.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: Once again – I said this yesterday and I will say it again – no government has done more to support general practitioners than this government.

John Pesutto: Mary-Anne, we’ll send the Hansard out of your answer.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition!

Mary-Anne THOMAS: We are out there recruiting more junior doctors to take on general practice, and we have established the 27 priority primary care centres.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the minister on a ministers statement, I remind members – I have said this repeatedly, and I am getting a little tired of repeating myself – members will be referred to by their correct titles. I do not care who is saying it, but you will refer to members by their correct titles.