Peter Dutton has gone all ‘healthy’

Peter Dutton’s FOMO* announcement that the Coalition would match Labor’s $8.5b Medicare boost was met with a thousand gasps from social media commentators, wondering when and where he found a heart as his record as Health Minister in the Abbott government indicated, they suggested, that he did not have one when he had the portfolio.

I don’t have much in my memory banks about his tenure as Health Minister so I turned to my friendly Grok AI to fill in the gaps (saves hours of Googling). Here’s the answer:

Peter Dutton served as Australia’s Minister for Health (and Minister for Sport) in the Abbott government from September 18, 2013, to December 23, 2014 – a tenure of just over 15 months. His time in the role was marked by significant controversy, ambitious proposals, and a mixed legacy, reflecting both his policy priorities and the broader political constraints of the Abbott administration.

Dutton took office after the Coalition’s 2013 election victory, stepping into a portfolio he’d shadowed for years. One of his flagship achievements was the establishment of the $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), announced in the 2014–15 budget. The fund aimed to secure long-term investment in medical research by preserving its capital in perpetuity, using savings from health portfolio cuts. Under his watch, overall health funding saw increases: the 2014–15 budget projected $66.9 billion for the health portfolio, up 7.5% from $62.2 billion in Labor’s last full year (2012–13). Medicare spending was slated to rise 9.5% to $20.32 billion, and public hospital funding jumped nearly 14% to $15.12 billion, compared to $13.28 billion under Labor. These figures suggest a commitment to boosting resources, though critics argue the gains were offset by other cuts and policy shifts.

The most contentious issue of Dutton’s tenure was the proposed $7 Medicare co-payment for GP visits, part of the 2014 budget. Framed as a way to address “staggering” health spending increases and reduce “waste,” Dutton argued it would ensure Medicare’s sustainability. He pointed to existing co-payments – like those for pharmaceuticals – and suggested a modest fee (initially $6, later $7) wouldn’t deter necessary care, especially with exemptions for concession holders. However, the plan faced fierce resistance. Doctors, the Australian Medical Association (AMA), and the public decried it as a “GP tax” that would hit vulnerable patients hardest. The Senate blocked it, forcing the government to retreat. Dutton then pivoted to a $5 rebate cut for GPs, which he implemented via regulation – bypassing legislation – but this too fueled outrage, with the AMA later claiming it contributed to a six-year Medicare rebate freeze that sapped billions from the system.

Dutton’s broader agenda leaned toward private sector involvement and efficiency. He signaled an overhaul of Medicare in early 2014, warning that spiraling costs made the system “unmanageable” without reform. He advocated for wealthier Australians to contribute more to their healthcare, noting taxpayers covered 92 cents of every dollar for public hospital care versus 35 cents for private services. Cuts accompanied this vision: he axed the Australian National Preventive Health Agency ($100 million saved), ended preventive health payments to states ($370 million), and folded agencies like Health Workforce Australia into the Department of Health ($280 million). Indigenous health programs lost $125 million in a “rationalization” effort, despite Tony Abbott’s self-styled role as a champion for Indigenous affairs.

His performance earned him a bruising reputation. In a 2015 Australian Doctor magazine poll of nearly 1,100 doctors, 46% voted Dutton the worst health minister in 35 years – beating out Nicola Roxon (17%) and Tony Abbott himself (13%). Respondents called him “dull,” “least innovative,” and “gullible,” though some defenders, like Rural Doctors Association president Dennis Pashen, argued his unpopularity stemmed from inherited budget pressures and Abbott’s influence, not just personal failings. The co-payment fiasco and rebate freeze dominated the narrative, overshadowing funding increases or the MRFF.

Dutton’s stint ended abruptly when Abbott reshuffled him to Immigration and Border Protection in December 2014, a move widely seen as a demotion from a high-profile but politically toxic portfolio. His health legacy remains polarizing: praised by some for farsighted investments, lambasted by others for attacking universal healthcare principles. Critics, including Labor, still wield his record – especially the co-payment push – as a cudgel, while supporters highlight his fiscal discipline and research legacy. The truth likely lies in between, shaped as much by Abbott’s agenda as by Dutton’s own choices.

 

Me: Sounds like the social media commentators had every right to gasp.

*Fear of missing out.

Also by Roswell: How Labor can win

 

 

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