Interview with Matt Stephens, ABC Riverland
28 April 2025
Subjects: Senate campaign, GP bulk billing, cost of seeing a doctor under Labor, dental services, Coalition’s fuel excise policy, the choice at this election
EO&E..................................................................
MATT STEPHENS: Health is nothing new to be discussed in the election campaign, but this time around the focus is more on the cost of seeing a doctor and a quality level of care as well. In addition to that, the Senate is sometimes overlooked in campaigning, and there are Senate seats up for grabs in this election. And one of those belongs to the Deputy Leader of the opposition in the Senate, Anne Ruston. Good Morning.
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Good morning, Matt.
MATT STEPHENS: There's always a big focus on the House of Reps and who is going to be Prime Minister during the election campaign. Do you think the Senate gets a bit lost in it all?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Well, obviously, I think the Senate is a terribly important House of our two chamber Parliament because when it comes to a state the size of South Australia, we get the same number of representatives as the big states of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. So it's very important for South Australia to make sure that we've got our say in the Senate, so that we have the same proportion of say in the Senate as every other state or territory.
MATT STEPHENS: So, for South Australia there's still as much say as everyone else is what you're trying to point out there?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Yeah, absolutely. So the Senate is more important for South Australia than it is for the eastern coast states because we're a much smaller population but we get the same number of Senators.
MATT STEPHENS: Do you think we have that same amount of say though, I mean, in issues that are important across the country?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Look, absolutely, and I mean that's obviously part of my role in Canberra is to make sure that the voice of South Australia is heard very loudly. And obviously being the Deputy Leader in the Senate, I sit on leadership so every morning the Leader of the Opposition, and hopefully next week the Prime Minister, will get to hear a voice of South Australia to make sure that he knows what the issues facing South Australia are.
MATT STEPHENS: You've held a number of portfolios over the years including Minister for Families and Social Services which ties into health, and I know I've seen many releases from you talking about different health issues. Surely trying to get more bulk billed appointments for doctors is a good thing?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Look, absolutely. There is no question right now we have a crisis in access to our GPs. It's never been more expensive or harder to see a GP and that's just not me saying it. I mean, all your listeners I'm sure would be feeling it every time they go to the doctor. They're paying more and more out of pocket expenses. In fact, they're paying 45% more out of their own pocket than they were three years ago. The bulk billing rate has plummeted, which means that it's much harder for you to be able to see your GP without having to put your hand in your pocket. We know 1.5 million Australians last year didn't go to the doctor because they said they couldn't afford it. I mean, there is a real crisis in getting access to affordable primary care, which is why we are absolutely committed to a really big investment to try and see if we can turn this absolute mess that's been created in the last three years around.
MATT STEPHENS: Anne Ruston is a Senator for South Australia. Looking at it from the other side though, doctors are saying that if they do go down the bulk billing route then they won't be able to keep their practices going. How do you solve a problem like that when you're trying to bring private practice into a public system?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Well, first of all, we have to make sure we're focusing on the patients and making sure that they've got access to affordable care. Because we don't want them putting off their care, because that means they'll end up in our hospital system, which is already under incredible pressure as well. But I think the biggest issue is that we need to understand that most GP practices are small businesses like every other small business in this country. We saw like 30,000 of them have gone insolvent over the last three years, the highest levels of insolvency. I mean, they're paying higher when it comes to their insurance, higher when it comes to their energy bills, their rents or their mortgages etc. They are no different than any other small business so we need to make sure that we make doing business in this country more affordable and take the pressure off GP practices as small businesses, at the same time making sure we're investing in primary care so Australians can get access to affordable health care when they need it.
MATT STEPHENS: So, does that mean making GPs public rather than small businesses?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Not at all. We want to focus on making sure that GPs are able to afford to provide the services that Australians rely on. And as I said, they are small businesses and so they are suffering the same consequences as every other small business around the country. We need to make sure it's affordable for them to do business, but at the same time making sure we're providing public funding to support Australians so that they can get access to affordable healthcare. This is not a zero-sum game. We have to makesure we're focusing both on the patient and making sure we've got viable primary practice.
MATT STEPHENS: The other thing that was part of the conversation was dental services and putting that in as something that Medicare covers. I mean, it's been discussed before. Is it time for it just to happen?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: The real crisis that we have before us at the moment is people just aren't getting access to their GP. That is the biggest issue that we must resolve first and foremost. I mean, the idea that Australians aren't going to see the doctor because they can't afford to is a really sad indictment on the system as it is today. So that is absolutely the number one focus as soon as we get into government, if we're lucky enough to do so next week, is to make sure that we are enabling Australians to be able to get to see their GP. That is the crisis that's before us.
MATT STEPHENS: Anne Ruston is a Senator for South Australia. Just as we're sitting here talking, Senator, it makes me think does Medicare just need an overhaul to bring it into the 21st century?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Well, we've seen an absolute crisis occur to our primary health system over the last three years. You know, the bulk billing rates have plummeted [by 11%], out-of-pocket costs have never been higher. I mean, 45% more out of your pocket than you were paying three years ago, people avoiding seeing the doctor because they can't afford it, 40 million less bulk billed services last year than there were three years ago. There is a crisis in primary care that must be addressed and that is why we are absolutely committed to investing over $9 billion into primary care so that we can fix the mess that's been created by Labor over the last three years.
MATT STEPHENS: We're coming – We’re into the last week of the election campaign now and we've been asking a lot of candidates, and your seat is up for re-election so I'll ask you as well, what is the big issue for the Riverland?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Well, I think when it comes to rural, regional and remote Australia, we need to be addressing the challenges that are unique to those communities and one of the things that I was very pleased that the Coalition has announced is a 25 cent cut on every litre of fuel, because it is a policy that helps all Australians but it actually helps people who live in rural and regional Australia even more, because we don't have a public transport system so we rely on our cars to go absolutely everywhere, our farmers, our tradies. I think it's a great policy that gives instant effect to cost-of-livingrelief for every Australian, but most particularly it's going to affect rural, regional and remote Australia more.
MATT STEPHENS: I know I've been talking to you about the Senate since you are a Senator, but just talking House of Reps and Prime Minister – Do you think Peter Dutton is the right leader for Barker and more specifically the Riverland?
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: I think Peter Dutton is the right leader for the country. I mean, here is a strong man andquite clearly the choice on Saturday for Australians is between a strong leader like Peter Dutton who has got a really clear plan for what he wants to do to support Australia – Andthat's all Australians, I mean, we've got a plan for rural, regional and remote Australia as well as the metropolitan area, whereas the Government just seems to be focused on the metropolitan area – Or somebody in the case of Anthony Albanese who actually is a pathological liar. This guy has lied about national security, he's lied about energy, he's lied about health. It is a really tragic situation where we have got a Prime Minister of this country who thinks it's okay to lie to get himself re-elected.
MATT STEPHENS: Senator Anne Ruston, thanks for your time this morning.
SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: My pleasure. Thanks, Matt.
ENDS
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