Australia's Labor reintroduces contested pensioner health insurance bill

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 01:03 · Archive

The Australian government has reintroduced private health insurance changes that would reduce rebates for people over 65 from April next year.

The Australian government has reintroduced private health insurance changes affecting pensioners after opposition parties discharged the bill from the Senate on Wednesday. The proposal would wind back the rebates people over 65 receive on their private health cover from April next year, saving the government about $3 billion over four years. The rebate reduction would be calculated based on income in the same way it is for other Australians.

Health Minister Mark Butler said reintroducing the bill on Thursday showed responsible budgeting, along with providing dignity and care for older Australians. 'The government is committed to moving ahead with this bill,' he said. The coalition and crossbench members, who teamed up to boot the bill from parliament on Wednesday, say Labor is using pensioners as a 'piggy bank for its own wasteful spending'.

Liberal Senator James Paterson warned that reintroducing the bill showed the government's 'contempt for the Senate', describing it as a 'particularly cruel cut' of $3 billion to older Australians taking out private health insurance. He said the Senate's response would be returned 'in kind'.

How it is being reported

• Labor tries to pass controversial insurance bill againThe government has defended reintroducing its contentious private health insurance changes, which the coalition says puts it in "contempt" of the Senate.Perth Now · 15 Oct, 00:48
• Labor tries to pass controversial insurance bill againThe government has defended reintroducing its contentious private health insurance changes, which the coalition says puts it in "contempt" of the Senate.The West Australian · 15 Oct, 00:48

In this story: Labor · Mark Butler · James Paterson · Liberal · Senate · Australia

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