“When we were in government, the Coalition increased hospital funding by 86% and delivered record Medicare bulk billing rates. The Labor Party will spend this campaign telling outright lies about health. This page sets out all the facts. Australians can’t afford three more years of Labor… or their lies.”
Health Facts
The facts on hospital, Medicare and medicines funding.The Liberal Party’s record on health
The previous Coalition Government:
- increased Medicare funding every year;
- increased hospital funding by 86%;
- delivered record bulk billing rates;
- made 2,900 new or amended medicines listings;
- doubled the number of Medicare subsidised mental health sessions; and
- delivered a world leading pandemic response.
The facts on Medicare
- Medicare bulk billing was higher under the Liberals.
- Across the Coalition’s time in Government, the average bulk billing rate was 86.15%. Under Labor it is 78.75%
- The GP bulk billing rate was 88.3 percent in the Coalition’s final year. Under Labor it has fallen to 77.3 percent (an 11 percent decline).1
- In the Coalition’s last year, 167.2 million free GP services were delivered. This is 61 million more than the previous Labor Government.
- Under Labor, 41 million fewer free GP services are bulk-billed under Medicare.
- Under the Coalition, funding into Medicare increased year-on-year from $18.6 billion under Labor in 2012–13 to more than $30 billion in 2021-22.
Medicare Bulk Billing Rate (GP Services)
Higher under Liberals. Fallen 11% under Labor.
Free GP Services (Medicare Bulk-Billed)
Increased by 61 million under Liberals. Decreased by 40 million under Labor.
The facts on hospital funding
- The Coalition nearly doubled hospital funding, from $13.3 billion (in 2012-13) to $24.7 billion (in 2021-22).2
- This represents a hospital funding increase of 86% increase in 9 years.
- When Peter Dutton was Health Minister, funding increased by 16% in two years.
Hospital funding, Australian Govt ($ billions)
86% increase in 9 years
The facts on mental health
- The Coalition Government doubled the number of Medicare subsidised mental health sessions Australians can access, from 10 to 20.
- Labor has cut Medicare-subsidised mental health support in half, back to 10 sessions. This leaves 240,000 Australians without the support they need.
- The Coalition will restore 20 Medicare subsidised sessions permanently.
- As Health Minister in 2013, Peter Dutton expanded youth mental health service, Headspace, to establish 10 new centres.
Watch and share
Labor is reheating its disgraced Mediscare campaign in an attempt to distract from their failures.
Get the facts. Link in bio.
Dec 31
Projects like this are why Peter Dutton established Australia’s multi-billion dollar Medical Research Future Fund as Health Minister.
Nov 28
Instead of strengthening Medicare, all the Albanese Labor Government has done is weaken it.
Nov 23
Labor seem more focused on reviving Mediscare than tackling the problems in the health system.
Nov 21
The facts on medicines
- The Coalition government made over 2,900 new or amended medicines listings on the PBS. This helped people suffering from cancer, heart disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis chronic migraines and many other conditions.
- The previous Labor government stopped listing new medicines, including for severe asthma, chronic pain, schizophrenia, blood clots, IVF, endometriosis and prostate conditions.
The facts on medical research
- As Health Minister in 2014, Peter Dutton created the Medical Research Future Fund. This is now a $22 billon fund supporting long term investments in medical research.
- This has supported better medicines for rare diseases and improved mental health care. It helped fund the development of the world-first durable Total Artificial Heart, which was recently transplanted into the world’s first patient in Brisbane.
The facts on pandemic preparedness
- In 2021, Australia ranked 2nd in the world for pandemic and epidemic preparedness, in the Johns Hopkins University Global Health Security Index.3
- Australia had one of the lowest fatality rates from COVID-19 in the world. Death rates in the USA and the UK were more than five times higher.
- Bill Gates described Australia’s response as “gold standard”.4
“If every country does what Australia did, then you wouldn’t be calling (the next outbreak) a pandemic”
Bill Gates
Munich Security Conference 2022
Peter Dutton
Leader of the Opposition, Member for Dickson
The facts on Peter Dutton’s record as Health Minister
As Health Minister (2013 to 2014), Peter Dutton:
- Increased hospital funding by 16%.
From $13.3 billion in 2012-13 to $15.5 billion in 2014-15. - Increased overall health funding 5.5%.
From $62.2 billion in 2012-13 to $65.6 billion in 2014-15. - Established Australia’s $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund.
- Expanded youth mental health service Headspace – to 100 centres in 2014 Budget.
After successfully lobbying for 60 centres as Shadow Minister in 2010. - Expanded bowel cancer screening for 50–74-year-olds.
Cancer Council said this would save 35,000 lives over the next 40 years. - Delivered more GP training places and nursing scholarships.