Wednesday, 9 September 2026

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:21): (1474) My question is to the Minister for Health. It was reported last Friday that you joined other state and territory health ministers in expressing deep concern about the federal government’s decision to scrap the higher private health insurance rebate currently available to people aged 65 and over. You were quoted as having said:

… “any change that would leave older Victorians worse off” and put additional pressure on the states’s public hospitals was “unacceptable” …

The same ABC article refers to New South Wales health minister Ryan Park. He said that New South Wales health department modelling estimates that public hospitals in New South Wales could pick up more than 23,000 additional surgeries a year. Minister, what modelling has the Victorian health department done on the number of additional surgeries in the Victorian public system as a result of tens of thousands of people downgrading or dropping private cover?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:22): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. As is publicly on the record, the Victorian government is concerned about the changes that the Commonwealth has proposed to private health insurance rebates. We are concerned that it would leave many older Victorians worse off and put additional pressure on Victoria’s public hospitals if these changes were passed by the Commonwealth Parliament and if indeed we saw a rise in the number of older Victorians dropping out of private health insurance. We also know that people over 65 are more likely to need hospital care, and any changes that make private health insurance less affordable risk shifting the demand onto the public health system.

It was a good and robust conversation at the health ministers meeting in Sydney last week, and other states and territories share the concerns of Victoria. There is modelling out there in the public domain from the health insurance industry but also from the Commonwealth, and that modelling is very different in terms of the Treasury modelling versus the health insurance modelling. But we have made our position very clear to the Commonwealth, as have other state and territory health ministers, that we are concerned about any change that would shift –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, I understand the minister – she has reiterated that she is concerned about the federal Labor cuts – but my question was very specific around the number of additional surgeries as a result of people having to drop their private health cover. She has referred to the modelling. It has been done. What are the additional numbers of surgeries that will be added to the waitlist?

The PRESIDENT: I believe the minister was being relevant to the question.

Ingrid STITT: As I was in the process of explaining to the house, the Commonwealth has, in response to some of the concerns raised by states and territories, said that its modelling shows that there will not be a material impact.

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Ingrid STITT: Obviously, the member does not want to listen to my answer, President.

The PRESIDENT: Ms Crozier, please. Mr Davis was very keen on asking a question without any noise, and I think the minister should be given the same respect that Mr Davis was given.

Ingrid STITT: We have made it clear to the Commonwealth that we want to understand that modelling and what these changes mean.

The PRESIDENT: Ms Crozier on a point of order.

A member: Seriously?

Georgie Crozier: Yes, to whoever interrupted – seriously. On a point of order, President, I have been listening to the minister. My question was around the Victorian Department of Health’s modelling and what number of Victorians will be impacted due to the additional surgeries that will be required in the Victorian public health system. It has been 2½ minutes, and we have got 30 seconds left. I would ask the minister to come back to the specific question that I asked and answer the question, not keep deflecting to the federal government’s modelling.

The PRESIDENT: I believe the minister was relevant to the question.

Ingrid STITT: What I was in the process of saying is that we have put the Commonwealth on notice that we want to understand what the impacts of the modelling would be on Victoria and on Victoria’s public hospital system. Until we are satisfied that there will not be a material impact and a shift of demand onto the public health system, we will continue to raise our concerns with the Commonwealth.

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:26): That was an extraordinary answer, given the minister has clearly not done any modelling in the Victorian department but has in her answer said that there is going to be an impact. Of course there is going to be an impact, as the various modelling has said. I will try again: has the Victorian government done modelling on the additional cost to the health budget when thousands of older Victorians drop or downgrade their private cover due to federal Labor’s rebate cut?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:27): I thank Ms Crozier for her supplementary. What we are talking about here is legislation that has been mooted in the federal Parliament. It has not passed the federal Parliament and will be, as I understand it, subject to a Senate inquiry. Ms Crozier can come in here and badger me and get angry and raise points of order, but I do not need her to advise me about how to stick up for Victorian patients.

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President – has the minister finished?

Members interjecting.

Georgie Crozier: I was raising a point of order. Question time is not an opportunity to attack the opposition; it is a time for questions. My question was very specific. I was going to ask you to bring her back to addressing the question, but I think she has finished. Has she finished?

The PRESIDENT: I believe so. What is your point of order?

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:28): If the minister has finished answering the question – well, not answering – I move:

That the minister’s answers be taken into consideration on the next day of meeting.

Motion agreed to.