Louise Miller-Frost (Boothby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I am delighted to speak to the Albanese Labor government's truly era-defining investments in strengthening Australia's health system that we saw in last month's budget. There is no issue more important to voters in my electorate of Boothby than health care. Access to quality, affordable health care is fundamental to a thriving society. In Australia, we know that we deliver this access through the great Labor institution that is Medicare. That's why I'm proud to be a member of this government, a government that is prioritising strengthening our health system, strengthening Medicare, at every opportunity after a decade of cuts and neglect.

We are doing so many important things across the health portfolio. I've spoken about many already in this place. We are tripling the bulk-billing incentive, delivering the largest ever increase, meaning more Australians will be able to see a bulk billed GP. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners called this massive investment a 'game changer' for general practice in Australia and one that is certainly needed. We are delivering cheaper medicines for six million Australians. In fact, in Boothby alone, we've already saved people more than $763,000 on over 69,000 prescriptions. We're opening more than 50 Medicare urgent care clinics around the country, including one that I'm expecting to see established later this year in Boothby. These are all essential investments that will go a long way to strengthening our health system.

Today, I want to speak about one issue that has received less attention in our health-related budget announcements. That is the investment in preventative health. The truism in public health is that $1 of prevention saves $9 in treatment. In this budget, the Albanese government is reclaiming Australia's position as a world leader in tobacco and vaping control. Everyone in this place knows that the rates of vaping, particularly among young people, have increased dramatically in recent years. I have three sons aged 23, and I've been shocked at how prevalent vaping is among their friends and people their age. Latest estimates suggest that one in six teenagers aged 14 to 17 have vaped, and that figure rises to one in four for those aged 18 to 24. Much like cigarettes were marketed to young demographics as cool or fun products before the important reforms implemented by the Keating government and since, vapes are being pushed to young Australians because an addict is a guaranteed customer, and getting them early is the business model. We know that nicotine is highly addictive and poses serious health risks, and we have strong and consistent evidence that young people who vape are three times as likely to take up smoking compared to those who don't.

That's why the 2023-24 budget funds strong action to reduce smoking and vaping rates through stronger legislation, enforcement, education and support. The government has announced a total package of $737 million, which includes money for lung cancer screening, to tackle Indigenous smoking in a culturally appropriate manner and to support smoking and vaping cessation over four years. The government is working with states and territories to stamp out what is a growing black market in illegal vaping. We're working to stop the import of non-prescription vapes and to increase the minimum quality standards for vapes, including by restricting flavours, colours and other ingredients that are used to market them; requiring pharmaceutical-like packaging for all e-cigarettes and vapes; reducing the allowed nicotine concentration volumes; and banning all single-use, disposable vapes. Along with this, a new public health information campaign will be developed to discourage Australians from taking up smoking and vaping and to encourage more Australians to quit.

After a decade of neglect and undermining by the former government, we know that there is a lot to do rebuild and strengthen our health system, and that is what Labor governments do best. We invest in the things that improve the lives of everyday Australians to ensure that access to quality, affordable healthcare is determined not by your credit card but by your green-and-gold Medicare card. With our ageing population and the increasing prevalence of chronic disease, we know that we need our health dollars to go as far as possible.

A huge part of that is preventative health. Stopping the health problems before they progress means better outcomes for patients and helps take pressure off the health system. To do that, we need to ensure we have health services that are accessible and affordable to all Australians regardless of where they live and how much money they earn. That is the principle that underlies all of this government's investments in health.

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