Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. This health department indexation schedule reveals that his Medicare freeze stays until 2020 for Medicare item No. 160. Prime Minister, item No. 160 covers prolonged consultations for patients, especially in remote areas far away from hospitals, who are—and I quote from the Medicare Benefits Schedule—'in imminent danger of death'. Is the Prime Minister seriously keeping his freeze on the Medicare rebate for patients who are in imminent danger of death to 2020? Please reconsider! (Time expired)

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Medicare freeze to which the Leader of the Opposition refers is his Medicare freeze. It is Labor's Medicare freeze. Labor imposed the Medicare freeze, and they know it. We are lifting it. We are lifting it progressively, as we said in the budget. We are managing the healthcare programs of the government with a responsibility, a compassion and a commitment that sees more funding, more taxpayers' dollars being spent on Medicare, on the PBS and on hospitals every single year.

And one of the things we are spending more on and doing more on is listing more life-saving drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. During the course of this government, we have listed 1,400 new drugs. In the last three years of the Labor government, they listed 330. That was the difference. They rationed the PBS. They did not list life-saving drugs, when they could have and they should have; we do—big difference. This makes a huge difference to the lives of thousands of Australians. Let me tell the House about one of them.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Direct relevance, Mr Speaker: I asked a very specific question about Medicare item No. 160. I asked specifically, 'Why are you freezing it to 2020 when it affects patients who are in imminent danger of death?' And I specifically asked him to reconsider this cruel decision.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call. I am listening to the Prime Minister carefully.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am talking about the commitment to managing the finances of our health system so that we can list drugs on the PBS. One of the patients who have benefited from this is Alexandra from Townsville. At 31 years of age, she was diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer. At the time, the best treatment available was chemo and radiotherapy, and she had to fly to Melbourne for the treatment. As the mother of a two-year-old son, this had a huge impact on her life.

When her cancer recurred, a new treatment option was available: Crizotinib, a new drug listed on the PBS on 1 July 2015. Alexandra started on it in October 2015. Her scans have been clear since. This is what she says—

Opposition members interjecting —

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition and I think the member for Isaacs are interjecting following the point of order that was made on relevance. I am listening to the Prime Minister very closely. I should not have to repeat after every point of order that if the minister or the Prime Minister is on the policy topic they are being relevant to the question. They may not be answering the question in the way members would like, and I can understand members' frustration, but I am not going to endure an appeal mechanism through interjections on points of order.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Alexandra says: 'I'm living a normal life like I don't have cancer. I'm an active mum to my seven-year-old son. I'm working and riding my horses. I don't have to travel to Melbourne for treatment. I'm taking one tablet, morning and night, with basically no side-effects. This is not a cure, but what is important is my quality of life which I have now and that I do not have to worry about finding $8,000 a month for treatment now it has been listed on the PBS.' I am proud that my government is making a difference for Alexandra and thousands of other Australians. (Time expired)