Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for the question and acknowledge the huge input she has had into the policy that was announced on the weekend. I include all of my colleagues in that, particularly the women members of the federal government—the first majority-women government in Australia's history, which we are incredibly proud of.

This announcement is the result of the work of all women in our caucus and many women around the country. For the last two years the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, has been consulting with the National Women's Health Advisory Council, which she established, on areas of unaddressed need for further consideration by government. With the work we've done on repairing the budget and getting rid of the waste and rorts of the former administration, we have been able to find over half a billion dollars to prioritise women's health in this country. That will make a huge difference for not only hundreds of thousands of women right now but millions of women as these changes go on.

We are seeing the new listing of the most commonly used contraceptive pills, Yaz and Yasmin, which will save hundreds of dollars a year for a woman who's using them. The PBS listing of Prometrium, Estrogel and Estrogel Pro, common menopause hormone therapies, will save women using those treatments up to $290 a year or up to $577 if they have a concession card. These PBS listings will take effect from 1 March, just three weeks from today, meaning women will start to see those savings right away.

This is the first listing of new oral contraceptives in 30 years and first listing of a new menopause hormone therapy in 20 years, and it's because of the Labor government. (Time expired)