Australian Senate removes private health rebate bill from its agenda
Senators discharged the bill to cut rebates for people aged 65 and over. Health Minister Mark Butler said the government would reintroduce it on 15 October.
Australia’s Senate discharged the government’s private health insurance rebate bill on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, removing a proposed cut for people aged 65 and over from its agenda. The bill must be reintroduced to proceed.
Government plans to reintroduce rebate bill on 15 October
Greens, Coalition and crossbench senators joined the motion to discharge the bill. Health Minister Mark Butler said the government planned to reintroduce the same bill on Thursday, 15 October; it had not been reintroduced at the time of the reports.
The proposed rebate reduction was due to take effect in April 2027. Health department modelling reported by ABC News and The Guardian estimated that nearly 80,000 older Australians would leave private health cover by 2028–29 as a result.
Sources and context
- Breaking: Government fails to secure support for beleaguered private health billABC News
- Labor’s bill to cut private health insurance rebate blocked by Greens over pensioner carve-outThe Guardian
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