Emma McBride (Dobell, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to join the consideration in detail today for Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024. A centrepiece of the Albanese Labor budget has been an historic investment in health and aged care. But before the back and forth about the why and the how, I want to bring in the voices of those who are not in this room. In Wollongong, Dr Catherine told me: 'Because of this budget, it's perhaps the first time in a long time that we've had cause for optimism.' In Weston, Dr Yasas said: 'It's been a lifeline thrown at us with the budget.' Across the country there were practices that were on the verge of moving away from bulk-billing for good. This budget has halted that. But I'm even more pleased to hear already that many practices will now return to bulk-billing.

For many Australians it has never been harder or more expensive to see a GP. The cost of health care continues to rise, yet investment has not kept pace. Our budget changes that. The 2023-2024 budget provides an historic $6.1 billion investment in Medicare and a $3.5 billion investment to triple the bulk-billing incentive. It will support free appointments for 11.6 million Australians. The budget also includes indexation of more than $1.5 billion to boost Medicare rebates, delivering the biggest increase in 30 years. More than 300 medicines will now be more affordable for six million Australians. This will mean fewer visits to GPs, saving time and money. The investment in the budget will strengthen Medicare as the foundation of universal health care. It will boost bulk-billing and restore primary care.

This budget is another step towards the Albanese government's commitment to restore dignity in aged care. It will mean older Australians are treated with the respect they deserve, underpinned by an investment in aged care of $36 billion in 2023-24. Our government recognises and values aged-care workers, which is why we're investing $11.3 billion to fund the Fair Work Commission's interim decision for a 15 per cent pay increase. Aged-care workers deserve more than thanks. This budget continues our ambitious aged-care reform and puts the health, wellbeing and dignity of older Australians at the centre.

What we have seen is barriers for too many Australians seeking mental health care and support, including bottlenecks in the psychology training pipeline, with too few psychologist to meet the growing demands of our communities right around Australia. With a $586.9 billion investment, the government is addressing workforce shortages, extending critical services, addressing urgent gaps and laying the groundwork for future reform to the mental health and suicide prevention system. This budget continues support for Australia's culturally and linguistically diverse communities through a $134.8 million investment over four years for the world-renowned program of assistance for survivors of torture and trauma. Since coming to government, we have already made mental health care more affordable and more accessible, and these measures will mean that more Australians can access the care that they need and that they deserve.

Australia had some of the lowest rates of smoking in the world, but big tobacco has launched a concerted campaign to create the next generation of nicotine addicts. Vaping has become a gateway into smoking, even though vapes were sold to us as therapeutic products to help people quit. The budget funds strong action to reduce smoking and vaping rates, particularly amongst young Australians, through stronger legislation, enforcement, education and support. The measures in this budget will protect more Australians, particularly young people, from the addiction and long-term health consequences associated with smoking and vaping. Existing controls will be strengthened to reduce the significant health risks of vaping, especially for children and young people.

This budget is about the positive change to health that Australians have been calling for, that is long overdue and that Australians right around the country have desperately needed and wanted. It will improve the health care of Australians and reduce the pressure on their hip pocket. I am proud to support this budget.

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