Debate resumed from 17 June, on motion by Senator Kemp:

upon which Senator Forshaw had moved by way of an amendment:

At the end of the motion, add:

“but the Senate condemns the Government for its health policy failures, including:

(a) the Howard Government's withdrawal of $918 million from public hospitals over the next 4 years;

(b) the Howard Government's unfair Medicare package which will result in bulk billing, in time, only being available to pensioners and concession card holders and families being left to pay more and more for their health care;

(c) the Howard Government's decision to increase the cost of essential medicines by up to 30 per cent, hitting the sickest and the poorest hardest; and

(d) the Howard Government's refusal to review the $2.3 billion private health insurance rebate to ensure that it provides value for money for consumers and taxpayers”.