Australian politics live: Butler tables unchanged private health bill as Coalition calls it ‘cruel’ and Greens withhold support

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Private health insurance changes recalibrating precious taxpayer dollars', says Wells

The health minister, Mark Butler, yesterday promised to reintroduce a bill to reduce private health insurance rebates for over-65s, after it was thrown out of the Senate by the crossbench and Coalition.

It's really important we reintroduce it, because we need to raise the level of support and resourcing for aged care. I was the aged care minister before being the communications minister, we need to work urgently. There's not enough beds being built for older Australians who need that support. It's recalibrating precious taxpayer dollars.