Anne Ruston

Labor’s Budget is full of broken promises and higher taxes.

Labor will slug seniors up to $1600 more for their private health cover and reduce access to essential healthcare for all Australians. Australians don’t deserve a Budget of broken promises and higher taxes.

Labor’s new private health tax will hurt around 3.2 million older Australians, including hundreds of thousands of pensioners living on fixed incomes. All it will achieve is more hip‑pocket pain for pensioners who have to scrimp and save to pay their own way, while forcing those who cannot afford it into the public health system, which we all pay for.

Anthony Albanese is forcing older Australians to pay more for private health insurance at a time when they can least afford it. This is a reckless move that will drive seniors out of their health cover and heap even more pressure onto our already overstretched public hospitals, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill.

Labor has slugged older Australians with a secret new tax, slipped through without consultation, hitting people at their most vulnerable stage of life. First they hit older Australians with higher private health costs, now they are taxing aged care living fees. Older Australians must not pay the price for Labor’s budget mismanagement. This is just hit after hit.

Labor promised to put the care back into aged care, but instead they’ve stripped out the humanity and replaced it with a computer. Anthony Albanese continues to ignore the fact that older Australians with degenerative conditions, such as MND and dementia, are having their funding cut under Labor’s flawed assessment algorithm. What more evidence does he need before he finally backs down and reinstates human override?

Today marks the start of the largest increase to private health insurance premiums in a decade and it comes in above the rate of inflation. Whether it’s at the petrol bowser, the GP reception desk or when paying your energy and insurance bills, the cost-of-living pressures continue to mount under Labor.

The Coalition has joined with colleagues from right across the Parliament to demand action from the Albanese Government on its aged care failures, including its flawed assessment algorithm that has no human override, as well as rising administrative costs and rationed care.

Minister Butler’s QT performance is nothing but a desperate attempt to launch Mediscare 4.0 🥱 When Labor runs to Mediscare, you know they are desperate to distract from their failures. It’s time Labor stops using Medicare as its political plaything and starts focusing on bringing down costs for Australian patients - who are now paying more than $50 on average to see a GP from their own pockets.

Labor promised no older Australian would be worse off. Instead, it has introduced an unchecked algorithm to decide the level of aged care funding each older Australian receives - with no human override. This is a serious broken promise that puts older Australians at risk.

Labor promised to put the care back in aged care, but all they've managed to do is put the wait in waiting list. The median wait time for older Australians to access support in their own homes has doubled and is now more than 8 months. That's unacceptable.

I am heartbroken by the horrific events at Bondi Beach tonight. My deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and to all those injured in this senseless act of violence. There is no place for this hatred in Australia. This is not who we are as a nation. My thoughts are with our Jewish community, who gathered to celebrate in peace, with all first responders working to save lives and to all those whose lives have been irrevocably changed by these events.

A huge congratulations to Jess Wilson on her election as Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party. A significant milestone for the Victorian Liberals. Jess is an outstanding parliamentarian and will give Victoria a clear, credible and energetic alternative at the next election.

During the last election campaign, Anthony Albanese and Labor promised on more than 71 occasions that you only need your Medicare card and not your credit card to see a doctor. Head to howmuchdoyoupay.au to share your real experience.

Congratulations to my colleagues Julian Leeser and Josh Burns for winning the McKinnon Prize for Political Leadership last night - well deserved recognition for their inspiring principle and steadfast fight against anti-semitism.

BREAKING: Labor’s Aged Care Bill has just officially passed the Parliament with all Coalition amendments accepted. This will guarantee the release of 83k home care packages to older Australians this financial year, including the immediate release of 20k packages.

Anthony Albanese promised Australians that “all you need is your Medicare card, not a credit card.” The reality: Australians paid $166 million out of their own pockets to see a GP in May alone.

Under Labor, Australian families are paying more than they ever have before to see a doctor.

Saddened to hear of the passing of South Australian football legend Barrie Robran. Barrie Robran was a great regional South Australian and arguably our state’s greatest footballer. He leaves a legacy that will continue to inspire our state. Vale Barrie Robran MBE.

Congratulations to @sussanley and @tedobrienmp.