Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Medical Device & Human Tissue Product List & Cost Recovery) Bill 2022 & others

The majority voted against a second reading amendment moved by West Australian Senator Jordan Steele-John (Greens), which means it failed. It would have amended the wording of the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be read a second time" (known as agreeing with the main idea of the bill).

Amendment text

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) notes that:

(i) the Australian Government has announced that, on average, private health insurance premiums will increase in April 2023 by 2.9%,

(ii) the Australian community is relying on private health insurance policies to avoid delays in the public system, which is underfunded and in crisis,

(iii) the major parties received nearly $2 million from private health insurers and pharmaceutical companies in their party annual returns for the 2021-22 financial year,

(iv) the community perceives a link between donations to political parties and their policy priorities; and

(b) is of the opinion that the Australian community should not have to rely on private health insurance to access health care in a timely manner".