Opened the debate
McCarthy supported the bills, stating they addressed unacceptable levels of violence against Commonwealth workers and barriers to Medicare compliance. McCarthy argued the workplace protection order scheme would allow courts to issue orders preventing further personal violence, including harassment and threats. McCarthy noted the bill implemented recommendations from the Services Australia Security Risk Management Review and covered a broad range of workers and locations. Regarding the health bill, McCarthy argued it would reduce fraud by limiting bulk-billing claim periods to one year and improve investigative consistency across health portfolios.