Clash on health policy at forum

But big-moneyed interests on notice

VOTERS were assured yesterday that neither side of politics would cave in to the bigmoneyed interests in health.

Health Minister Greg Hunt and his Labor opponent Catherine King debated government policy at the National Press Club in Canberra.

Both assured voters they were prepared to stand up to the big-moneyed interests in the sector.

Mr Hunt said he had decided to make codeine products prescription only against the wishes of the powerful Pharmacy Guild.

Ms King said private insurers were not Labor’s friends after her party announced it would cap health fund premium rises at 2 per cent.

Up against Labor’s massive $7.5 billion in promised new health funding, Mr Hunt had little extra spending of his own to promote.

His one argument in the election health debate was “you need a strong economy to deliver services”.

An assured Ms King, the Opposition health spokeswoman, framed the election as a choice about a bigger investment in health under Labor or more cuts to health under the Coalition. Labor had introduced Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and was the only party that would build on them, she said.

Mr Hunt continued to promote the Coalition’s record of approving subsidies for every new medicine recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee and said Labor had delayed listing 17 medicines when it was last in power.

Ms King rebutted, claiming that eventually the last Labor government had subsidised all recommended medicines and guaranteed it would do so if it won this election.

Mr Hunt’s most difficult moment came when he was asked why he supported Peter Dutton in the leadership coup against Malcolm Turnbull.

“I think Scott is evolving very rapidly to be not just the finest Liberal leader since John Howard but arguably the finest leader federal or state, Liberal or Labor, since John Howard,” he replied.

Ms King reminded voters Mr Hunt had been instrumental in the coup against Mr Turnbull, not an “innocent bystander”.

“This is the person who wanted Peter Dutton, who was voted the worst health minister in Australian history, to be prime minister and not only did he vote for him, he wanted to be his deputy. He needs to be accountable for that,” she said.

Mr Dutton was the person who tried to introduce a GP tax and increase the patient charge for subsidised medicines, she said.