There is only a wait list for free elective surgery via medicare, outside covid it's not that hard to get IF you really need it. Big wait times come in if you want particular surgery and its not considered necessary or you want particular doctors to do it. At the moment there are restrictions on all elective surgery even in the private system due to covid precautions and restrictions.
Most elective surgery will be covered by medium insurance cover and you will have no wait time outside of covid if insured and go private. If you are working, under pension age, and don't have a disability you are a goose not to have private insurance in Australia, it will bite you in the backside at one point costing more than it saves you not to.