BREAKING: GP Co-payments are going, going, gone

From Bill Shorten, again, today (He is obviously furious and Gough Whitlam must turn in his grave: we owe it to them to not let it happen will be my own comment): " By now you'll have heard Tony Abbott's claims that the GP tax is dead. I doubt you're fooled by the news, but not only is that untrue, his solution is to bring in his tax by stealth. It's up to you and I to make sure everyone knows he's still trying to destroy Medicare. And it's up to you and I to stop him. Tony Abbott can't get his tax through Parliament so instead he decided to sneak past Parliament by cutting the payment to GPs by $5 per consultation and pressuring them to charge patients more to make up the difference. Tony Abbott is committed to taking Medicare apart by removing free access to a GP and ending access to universal healthcare in this country. It's up to us to protect all Australians from Tony Abbott’s dishonest attempt to stand between them and a trip to their doctor. We can do this by getting the word out and showing the Government that Australians don’t want this tax — whether its a $7 GP Tax or a $5 GP Tax by stealth. " 

The all important 'prevention' and 'primary care' GONE with Abbott, 'B' consultation turns into an 'A' one, GP's lose $5.00 on bulk billing, many reasons for both doctors and patients to REFUSE this other 'Liberal' toxic move... 

Just received, from Bill Shorten: " Moments ago Tony Abbott said his GP Tax was dead. But it isn’t the backdown we wanted – it’s just a GP Tax through the backdoor. They are doing exactly the same thing they did with the Petrol Tax – sneaking it around the Parliament, to try to destroy Medicare and make healthcare unaffordable in this country. Labor will protect Medicare. We built it and we won't let Tony Abbott destroy it. We are going to protect ordinary Australian families from this Government’s dishonest attempts to stand between them and a trip to their doctor when they need medical attention. This move is just a desperate Prime Minister under pressure. You and I have been building pressure on Tony Abbott for months and now he's doing anything to save his own skin. He isn’t protecting Medicare – he’s just trying to protect himself. He may have changed his talking points, but he hasn’t changed his mind. Together, we can defend our universal healthcare system. Labor introduced Medibank under Gough Whitlam, and Fraser ditched it. We came back with Medicare in 1984 and no matter what Tony Abbott does we will not stop fighting for Medicare, and we will save it. Thanks for standing with me on this, Bill " 

Sure the Goverment may have dropped the GP Co-payment however they may be devious enough to up the payment for the PBS subscriptions that pensioners pay at present $6 to ? I hope not. Wes from Victoria 

Thanks to John Mangos & team for a great result .John NSW 

Are you sure they have gone? 

Great.Great. Got to be great--and very fair.The poorer person so often bares the brunt of Federal governments money grab.But must make sure they keep it fair.Never ever GP Co-payments.Ever. 

Alain from nsw , you seem to be browbeating anyone with an opinion different to yours , just as you are entitled to your say others are entitled to their say without being bullied by you and for all it's worth I'm in favour of the $7 co payment and it is obvious from a lot of the comments on here that many others are also in favour but it appears the lefties are trying to take over 50 up club just as they have taken over our abc 

After the shelving of the Medicare co-payment, who will now claim credit for the shelving of the $100000 degree? Most of the FiftyUp Club members, I hope, myself since the club has shown so far great compassion and common sense on many other failed projects/ideologies originating from our current government, literally bogged, that government in the 'too far right' aspect of their politics. 

Why does the Fifty Up club claim the 'credit ' for the shelving of the GP copayments ? I thought it was because the senate is made up of idiots who think like Alain. Jacqui Lambi....halfwitted bogan, Clive Palmer...appalling clown,...... unspeakable Green nitwits , and the incredibly destructive Labor party. It is stupidity and greed, because we must try and undo some of the debt that this sort of genii have brought down on us. Ann Fowler