Several Hunter region Labor MP’s will join the Opposition’s assistant spokesman for Health Stephen Jones this morning to march through Belmont to protest against the Federal Government’s planned changes to Medicare.

Shortland MP Jill Hall says they want to send a message to Tony Abbott that the $7 GP co-payment, increases to prescription costs and changes to the Medicare Safety Net are not warranted.

Ms Hall says people in her electorate will be badly affected.

“I definitely think people in this electorate will be hit very hard,” she said.

“Actually in excess of 82 per cent of services are bulk billed in Shortland electorate.

“It is an older electorate and people in this electorate do not have a high average income.

“In other words people in Shortland are a little bit older, a little bit sicker and they earn less money.”