Senate support exists for GP changes: govt

The government is confident Health Minister Sussan Ley will negotiate with crossbench senators to win support for GP rebate changes.

The federal government is confident it can get Senate support for its controversial GP rebate changes.

Doctors want the government to reverse a change to rebates they fear will result in people paying up to $20 more for an average GP visit from Monday, and those concerns have struck a chord with some crossbench senators.

The government tabled the change as a regulation before Christmas, so it could be overturned after the Senate returns on February 9, however, Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg believes the government can win Senate support.

"I do," he told ABC 24 on Wednesday.

"And Sussan Ley, the new health minister, will talk to the cross-benchers, seek their support."

Mr Frydenberg said the coalition had defied its critics last year by getting changes to temporary protection visas through the Senate.

"We've got the abolition of the carbon tax, and abolition of the mining tax, and our Direct Action plan, so we've shown an ability to negotiate in the Senate and we'll do that again, hopefully, on this policy."

The Greens plan to introduce a disallowance motion and three crossbenchers have indicated they may support the Greens move.


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world