Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

Is the member for North Sydney saying that we should not be listing these new medicines for hepatitis C, chronic pain, cancer, arthritis, asthma, diabetes and specialist paediatric treatments?

I want to say to the member for New England that I understand his concerns. I value the recent work that has been done by Stephen Duckett on looking for further areas in which to look for more savings. Indeed, I agree with him on the areas that he has named as important policy areas for the government. But as health minister finding that money for some of the important new medicines that we want to list is also a priority for me. We have worked hard to find savings in the older, more commonly used drugs so that we can make headroom for those exciting new treatments as they emerge.

See this speech in context