‘Always nonsense': Labor's Medicare lies exposed in new reports
'It is virtually impossible to find a bulk-billing GP clinic these days and when you do manage to find one it is so hard to get in, or you are stuck in the waiting room with hundreds of others to be seen,' Ms De Giorgio said.
'Yet, as you all know, the PM spent most of his election campaign flapping about his Medicare card like it was his best friend and reviving the Mediscare campaign.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Political leaders return to parliamentary battlefield
Pomp and ceremony out of the way, federal politicians will get back to work as parliamentary business resumes. The 48th parliament officially opened with a day of pageantry, which included a traditional church service and smoking ceremony before politicians were sworn in. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will square off in parliament as rival party leaders for the first time on Wednesday. Education Minister Jason Clare will deliver on Labor's election promise by introducing legislation to the lower house to slash university debt for three million Australians by 20 per cent. The coalition is expected to support the move which will wipe $16 billion off student debt but is waiting to see the fine print. People with an average HELP debt of $27,600 will have $5520 wiped from their loans. The government has also said it will this week introduce childcare reform aimed at improving safety measures. Labor returns to parliament with a lion's share of 94 seats, to the coalition's 43 in the lower house. Melbourne MP Sarah Witty, who defeated former Greens leader Adam Bandt at the election, gave a heartfelt first speech to parliament on Tuesday evening. She tearfully spoke of enduring "heartache after heartache" for more than a decade after experiencing pregnancy loss. "We grieve deeply," she said. "I opened myself to a new path. I stepped into the world of foster care, not out of ease, but out of a deep need to turn my pain into something positive." Ms Witty said her experience taking care of children in need would shape her approach as an elected parliamentarian. Griffith MP Renee Coffey, who wrested back Kevin Rudd's old seat for Labor from the Greens, spoke of the kindness former rival Max Chandler-Mather had shown her following a confronting interaction with a voter. "On election day, I was stunned when a voter told me he couldn't possibly vote for me because I have MS and he couldn't be represented in parliament by someone who could be in a wheelchair," she said. "It knocked the wind out of me. In a strange turn of fate, it was the then-member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, who saw me step away from that interaction. "And the kind words of support he offered me, I will never forget." Pomp and ceremony out of the way, federal politicians will get back to work as parliamentary business resumes. The 48th parliament officially opened with a day of pageantry, which included a traditional church service and smoking ceremony before politicians were sworn in. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will square off in parliament as rival party leaders for the first time on Wednesday. Education Minister Jason Clare will deliver on Labor's election promise by introducing legislation to the lower house to slash university debt for three million Australians by 20 per cent. The coalition is expected to support the move which will wipe $16 billion off student debt but is waiting to see the fine print. People with an average HELP debt of $27,600 will have $5520 wiped from their loans. The government has also said it will this week introduce childcare reform aimed at improving safety measures. Labor returns to parliament with a lion's share of 94 seats, to the coalition's 43 in the lower house. Melbourne MP Sarah Witty, who defeated former Greens leader Adam Bandt at the election, gave a heartfelt first speech to parliament on Tuesday evening. She tearfully spoke of enduring "heartache after heartache" for more than a decade after experiencing pregnancy loss. "We grieve deeply," she said. "I opened myself to a new path. I stepped into the world of foster care, not out of ease, but out of a deep need to turn my pain into something positive." Ms Witty said her experience taking care of children in need would shape her approach as an elected parliamentarian. Griffith MP Renee Coffey, who wrested back Kevin Rudd's old seat for Labor from the Greens, spoke of the kindness former rival Max Chandler-Mather had shown her following a confronting interaction with a voter. "On election day, I was stunned when a voter told me he couldn't possibly vote for me because I have MS and he couldn't be represented in parliament by someone who could be in a wheelchair," she said. "It knocked the wind out of me. In a strange turn of fate, it was the then-member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, who saw me step away from that interaction. "And the kind words of support he offered me, I will never forget." Pomp and ceremony out of the way, federal politicians will get back to work as parliamentary business resumes. The 48th parliament officially opened with a day of pageantry, which included a traditional church service and smoking ceremony before politicians were sworn in. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will square off in parliament as rival party leaders for the first time on Wednesday. Education Minister Jason Clare will deliver on Labor's election promise by introducing legislation to the lower house to slash university debt for three million Australians by 20 per cent. The coalition is expected to support the move which will wipe $16 billion off student debt but is waiting to see the fine print. People with an average HELP debt of $27,600 will have $5520 wiped from their loans. The government has also said it will this week introduce childcare reform aimed at improving safety measures. Labor returns to parliament with a lion's share of 94 seats, to the coalition's 43 in the lower house. Melbourne MP Sarah Witty, who defeated former Greens leader Adam Bandt at the election, gave a heartfelt first speech to parliament on Tuesday evening. She tearfully spoke of enduring "heartache after heartache" for more than a decade after experiencing pregnancy loss. "We grieve deeply," she said. "I opened myself to a new path. I stepped into the world of foster care, not out of ease, but out of a deep need to turn my pain into something positive." Ms Witty said her experience taking care of children in need would shape her approach as an elected parliamentarian. Griffith MP Renee Coffey, who wrested back Kevin Rudd's old seat for Labor from the Greens, spoke of the kindness former rival Max Chandler-Mather had shown her following a confronting interaction with a voter. "On election day, I was stunned when a voter told me he couldn't possibly vote for me because I have MS and he couldn't be represented in parliament by someone who could be in a wheelchair," she said. "It knocked the wind out of me. In a strange turn of fate, it was the then-member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, who saw me step away from that interaction. "And the kind words of support he offered me, I will never forget." Pomp and ceremony out of the way, federal politicians will get back to work as parliamentary business resumes. The 48th parliament officially opened with a day of pageantry, which included a traditional church service and smoking ceremony before politicians were sworn in. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will square off in parliament as rival party leaders for the first time on Wednesday. Education Minister Jason Clare will deliver on Labor's election promise by introducing legislation to the lower house to slash university debt for three million Australians by 20 per cent. The coalition is expected to support the move which will wipe $16 billion off student debt but is waiting to see the fine print. People with an average HELP debt of $27,600 will have $5520 wiped from their loans. The government has also said it will this week introduce childcare reform aimed at improving safety measures. Labor returns to parliament with a lion's share of 94 seats, to the coalition's 43 in the lower house. Melbourne MP Sarah Witty, who defeated former Greens leader Adam Bandt at the election, gave a heartfelt first speech to parliament on Tuesday evening. She tearfully spoke of enduring "heartache after heartache" for more than a decade after experiencing pregnancy loss. "We grieve deeply," she said. "I opened myself to a new path. I stepped into the world of foster care, not out of ease, but out of a deep need to turn my pain into something positive." Ms Witty said her experience taking care of children in need would shape her approach as an elected parliamentarian. Griffith MP Renee Coffey, who wrested back Kevin Rudd's old seat for Labor from the Greens, spoke of the kindness former rival Max Chandler-Mather had shown her following a confronting interaction with a voter. "On election day, I was stunned when a voter told me he couldn't possibly vote for me because I have MS and he couldn't be represented in parliament by someone who could be in a wheelchair," she said. "It knocked the wind out of me. In a strange turn of fate, it was the then-member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, who saw me step away from that interaction. "And the kind words of support he offered me, I will never forget."

Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Twiggy' Forrest-led business campaign demands Albanese go greener
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing one of his first major policy tests after his re-election as big firms, led by Andrew Forrest's Fortescue, demand a 75 per cent cut to Australia's emissions, and the government's hand-picked climate adviser prepares to tell the government what its 2035 target should be. Labor ducked a fight on emissions at the May election by delaying a decision on the interim target required by the Paris Agreement – the legally binding international treaty on climate change – but the government's Climate Change Authority is expected to force its hand when it delivers long-awaited advice within weeks. Sources familiar with the authority's thinking expect it to urge a cut of 65 to 75 per cent by 2035, which could add weight to calls for the prime minister to use his large parliamentary majority to legislate an ambitious target, despite the United States turning away from climate action and withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement signed by almost 200 parties including Australia commits countries to reducing their emissions via five year targets to avoid global average temperature increases of more than 2 degrees, and ideally 1.5. The stoush over Australia's emissions comes amid a global reckoning on climate change agreements as many countries in Europe debate the merits of deep emissions reductions targets after years of sharp rises to the cost of living. Big business is split on climate targets. The Business Council of Australia, which represents more than 100 of the country's largest companies, is divided between telecommunications firms and banks happier with steeper cuts and resources companies worried about a speedier transition. As the council debates options, a new coalition of mostly left-leaning companies, called the Business for 75 campaign that includes mining giant Fortescue, has formed to call for larger cuts. Fortescue, whose founder Forrest accompanied Albanese on his visit to China this month, said it would continue to push the government to have higher ambitions.

The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
‘Twiggy' Forrest-led business campaign demands Albanese go greener
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing one of his first major policy tests after his re-election as big firms, led by Andrew Forrest's Fortescue, demand a 75 per cent cut to Australia's emissions, and the government's hand-picked climate adviser prepares to tell the government what its 2035 target should be. Labor ducked a fight on emissions at the May election by delaying a decision on the interim target required by the Paris Agreement – the legally binding international treaty on climate change – but the government's Climate Change Authority is expected to force its hand when it delivers long-awaited advice within weeks. Sources familiar with the authority's thinking expect it to urge a cut of 65 to 75 per cent by 2035, which could add weight to calls for the prime minister to use his large parliamentary majority to legislate an ambitious target, despite the United States turning away from climate action and withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement signed by almost 200 parties including Australia commits countries to reducing their emissions via five year targets to avoid global average temperature increases of more than 2 degrees, and ideally 1.5. The stoush over Australia's emissions comes amid a global reckoning on climate change agreements as many countries in Europe debate the merits of deep emissions reductions targets after years of sharp rises to the cost of living. Big business is split on climate targets. The Business Council of Australia, which represents more than 100 of the country's largest companies, is divided between telecommunications firms and banks happier with steeper cuts and resources companies worried about a speedier transition. As the council debates options, a new coalition of mostly left-leaning companies, called the Business for 75 campaign that includes mining giant Fortescue, has formed to call for larger cuts. Fortescue, whose founder Forrest accompanied Albanese on his visit to China this month, said it would continue to push the government to have higher ambitions.