1404. Hon ALISON XAMON to the minister representing the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the response to my question without notice 884 of 20 September 2018 indicating that corrective services ministers have taken the lead in advocating for improved Medicare access for prisoners.
(1) Has any progress been made on this issue in the last 14 months?
(2) If yes to (1), what?
(3) If no to (1), why not?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(3) Access to Medicare for prisoners remains a responsibility of the federal government. The Minister for Corrective Services raised the matter at the most recent corrective services ministers’ conference in August 2019 and will continue to advocate for access to Medicare for prisoners, along with other state and territory corrective services ministers.