Just looking at the HBF website, cover for a family is about $200 per month not including hospital cover. You're right that you don't need private cover, but a check-up, clean and x-ray at the dentist will soon change your mind. The OP said that she had a daughter with autism - there might well be additional health and education expenses for such a family as there isn't a lot of help available from the govt services in health and education. The rebates on health services do not cover everything.

HA HA thats so weird you said that as I teach children with Autism in a government funded school here in Perth. I run one of the Autism Extension Programs.

Funding has got a lot better in recent years. We now cater for low functioning Autism (LSU and ESU's attached to mainstream schools) and high functioning including Aspergers and its all part of normal government school fee's.

Not the OP, was actually my daughter. But as it happens, in the same situation i.e. currently in Switzerland, planning to move(back) to Perth.