The first Turnbull government’s Minister for Health and Aged Care, Sussan Ley (‘Lee’) has been re-appointed to the position in the second-term cabinet announced today (19 July).
Prior to the announcement there was speculation that Ms Ley would be shifted from the health role because of a comment during the election campaign about the government’s freeze on Medicare rebates.
The Minister apparently believed the freeze - envisaged by the government to run until at least 2020 - should be ended. However, she said, this was not acceptable to the Finance and Treasury departments.
Ms Ley, who also holds the Sport portfolio, said she regarded it as an honour to continue in the role, which includes “protecting the future of Medicare and ensuring it remains universally accessible to all Australians, as well as tackling the growing burden of chronic disease through our Health Care Homes.”
Noting her passion for ensuring Australians live both longer and healthier lives, the Minister said her work would be “complemented by integrated reforms to mental health, medicines, hospital funding, rural health, aged care, dental, private health insurance, vaccinations, sports participation and preventative health.”
She added that she looked forward “to continuing to work closely with stakeholders to ensure we appropriately balance the needs of patients with the need to protect the long-term sustainability of universal health care in this country.”
This will be her sixth term as the Member for Farrer, the rural electorate in NSW that includes Albury, Griffith and Deniliquin.
