Vic premier pushes Medicare over GST hike

Increasing the Medicare levy would be fairer than hiking the GST, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says.

Mr Andrews will not support an increase in the GST or radical changes to the items included in the tax when he joins talks with Prime Minister Tony Abbott this week.

But he is open to a "mature discussion" about increasing the base rate of the Medicare levy if it is attached to improvements in the health system.

He described the GST as a tax that has no regard to a person's ability to pay, while the Medicare levy was dependent on a taxpayer's income.

Mr Andrews hopes the meeting in Sydney with state premiers and chief ministers will focus on schools and hospital funding.