WARD OPPOSES LABOR'S HIKE ON PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward has taken to the floor of NSW Parliament to slam NSW Labor for hiking the tax on private health insurance premiums by $156 via their Health Insurance Levies Amendment Bill which is about to go to a vote in the Legislative Assembly.

“Almost 50,000 people in the Kiama Electorate are covered by private health insurance. Amidst a cost-of-living crisis, I strongly oppose Labor’s cash grab which will cause many to reconsider and even cancel their insurance policies and cease making sacrifices to maintain private health coverage,” Mr Ward said.

“If people cancel health insurance policies, this will force more people onto an already stressed public system adding to delays for elective surgery which are already the worst in the country.

“NSW is the only state with this levy and Labor’s latest cash grab will make it tougher for people to maintain their private health insurance.

“Let’s call it out; this bill represents a failure by this NSW Labor Government to secure the fair funding deal for our State from Federal Labor. This bill represents NSW Labor turning to people’s pockets rather than negotiating with the Commonwealth for health funding and health insurers.

“How will Liza Butler explain to people in her electorate, especially those on low incomes, why she voted to jack up their private health insurance and add pressure to Shoalhaven Hospital waiting lists.

“I oppose Labor’s moves to crucify working families, people on fixed incomes and those working so hard to afford to pay for private health and take the burden off the public system. This is a bad bill and I oppose it,” Mr Ward concluded.