Health Legislation Amendment (Improved Medicare Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2024

The majority voted against an amendment to an original amendment to the usual second reading motion (which is that the bill be read a second time - parliamentary jargon to agreeing with the main idea of the bill). Because this vote was unsuccessful, the original amendment will remain unchanged.

Amendment text

That all words after "the" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"House, whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading:

(1) notes that:

(a) Medicare cannot be a universal healthcare system while essential dental care is excluded; and

(b) the Australian Dental Association's annual oral health survey found that over 60 per cent of Australians had delayed a trip to the dentist in the previous 12 months, with cost being the main barrier; and

(2) calls on the Government to legislate the inclusion of dental care into Medicare".

Original amendment text

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"the House notes that under this Government, Australians' access to affordable health care through the Medicare Benefits Schedule has only gone backwards, and it has never been harder or more expensive to see a GP".