Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) 1 February 2023 marks the 39th anniversary of the introduction of Medicare by the Government of Prime Minister Hawke; and

(b) Australia's healthcare system is based on equitable and fair access for all Australians; and

(2) acknowledges that:

(a) as of 1 January 2023, the Government will have reduced the cost of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme co-payment by $12.50 to a maximum of $30; and

(b) the Government is making medicines cheaper and more accessible for Australian families.

At 6.06 on 6 September 1983 Dr Neal Blewett, Minister for Health in the Hawke Labor government, rose in this parliament to read the Health Legislation Amendment Bill 1983 into Hansard. This created Medicare out of the ashes of Medibank and provided Australians 'a health insurance system that is simple and affordable', to quote Dr Blewett. Thirty-nine years on, we mark the anniversary of Australia's first-class, world-leading universal health system, Medicare.

Labor governments have prided themselves on championing equitable, universal and affordable health care as a right for Australians. I remember before Medicare the discussions between my parents about who should go to the doctor, what our family could afford and who was sick enough to justify the cost. The green Medicare card meant that our family and Australians all around our country had access to support and medical advice they could afford. My parents' relief was obvious to me. It was the Labor governments of Whitlam and Hawke that introduced these reforms. Whilst the first reforms of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme date back to the Chifley Labor government, it is Labor governments that established our world-leading healthcare system, and the Albanese government will continue to defend and strengthen it.

For the first time in its 75-year history, the PBS has been amended to provide Australians with life-saving medicines at a more affordable price. With new medicines being added to the PBS monthly, it remains crucial that these medicines are accessible should Australians need them. It is the government's responsibility to ensure that there is equitable and available access to medicines and to health care. The last decade saw this dwindle. The continued freeze on Medicare forced doctors out and bulk-billing rates to drop. In communities like mine and all over Australia it is harder to see a GP, and more and more GPs can no longer afford to bulk-bill.

The release last week of the report of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce sets recommendations that the Albanese government are currently working through to turn this around and rebuild the systems that all Australians have relied on for the past four decades. Australia's healthcare system ranks among the best in the world. It's an achievement to be proud of, and Labor will always be the party to defend and support it. We understand that in order for Australia to prosper it needs a healthy population, and no barrier—especially financial—should hinder a person's ability to access the health care and medications they need.

The Australian people are currently facing a cost-of-living crisis, and our government should not shy away from supporting Australians during the difficult times. That's why from 1 January 2023 the maximum copayment has been reduced by $12.50 to the new maximum of $30. There are 3.6 million Australians who use over $30 a month in prescriptions and who, from 1 January, will save on their scripts under the Albanese government. I've heard constituents tell me of their experiences of being prescribed life-saving cancer medication that would have cost them thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars and who can now focus on getting better rather than worrying about how or whether they can afford the treatment prescribed.

But unfortunately I've also met with constituents with chronic conditions who make choices about the medications they can afford. This is becoming more and more common as cost-of-living pressures mount, and it is obviously the most vulnerable who are disproportionately affected. Australia must never be a country where people must choose between providing food and shelter for their family and seeing their doctor or filling a script. There should never be a moment in this country when people are forced to ration health care or face bankruptcy, as was the case before the introduction of universal health care in Australia.

Labor's measures to reduce the cost of vital medications is another step in that direction. We promised in our 2022 election platform to reduce the price of medicines, and we delivered: $190 million a year directly into the pockets of Australians. We are a country that ensures that all Australians receive the medical care they need regardless of income. That should always be the pillar of our healthcare system. Labor is the party of Medicare, and the Albanese government will ensure that our healthcare system is continuously defended and strengthened.

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