Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Santoro. I refer to the recent media comments that the government does not fund any dedicated pro-choice pregnancy counselling services. I ask the minister: is that true? If it is not, how much money does the government give each year to pro-choice organisations that provide counselling services? And how much money each year does it give pro-life organisations that provide counselling services?

Santo Santoro (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Fielding for his question and can confirm with him that the Minister for Health and Ageing and I have noticed recent media reports that the government does not fund dedicated pro-choice pregnancy counselling services. In fact, it is simply untrue. The Howard government supports services through funding to states and territories—and I stress ‘states and territories’—through the public health outcome funding agreements, PHOFA. PHOFA funding is broadbanded and linked to nationally agreed outcomes in a number of public health areas, including family planning services. Currently, under PHOFA, $15 million every year goes to family planning organisations, which includes pro-choice pregnancy counselling services. In contrast, the Commonwealth directly contributes the modest sum of $400,000 every year to pro-life organisations that provide pregnancy counselling.

The Senate would be aware that Australia has one of the highest abortion rates in the Western world, with approximately 90,000 abortions every year. While there is already a range of pregnancy counselling services available to women and their partners, it can still be difficult for women to access pregnancy counselling services. They may be unaware of available services or services may be difficult to access, particularly in rural and regional areas. The Howard government has been very conscious of the need to increase support for women and their partners faced with an unintended pregnancy.

Senators might be aware that the Prime Minister and the Minister for Health and Ageing today announced the introduction of a new Medicare payment for pregnancy support counselling by general practitioners and on referral to other health professionals. This will provide additional support and information to women who are anxious about their pregnancy. Women who have had a pregnancy in the preceding 12 months will also benefit by being able to access pregnancy support counselling under Medicare.

The government will also fund a national pregnancy support telephone help line which will provide professional and non-directive advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The help line will provide assistance to women, their partners and family members who wish to explore pregnancy options. The help line will provide information on a full range of services and organisations available to support pregnant women. It will be for women seeking assistance to decide which particular organisation or service they wish to get further information from.

These new measures are expected to cost $51 million over four years. The help line is expected to cost $15.5 million over four years. Medicare funded counselling is expected to cost $35.6 million over four years. The MBS item will commence on 1 November 2006 and the help line will commence within nine months. I wish to stress that these measures are above and beyond the amount that the Commonwealth government already contributes via the various states through the PHOFA.

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, would you please explain why there is such a large difference between the millions of dollars given each year to pro-choice organisations that provide counselling services and the only hundreds of thousands of dollars given to the others?

Santo Santoro (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The senator raises a very valid point but I again want to inform the Senate that the family planning organisations are funded by states and territories and indirectly by the Australian government through the PHOFAs to build the capacity of the health care sector by providing specialist sexual and reproductive health education and clinical training to health and other professionals. It is the responsibility of state and territory governments to allocate funds to meet the agreed outcomes under the terms of the PHOFAs. These arrangements have historically always been handled by the states, and I think that is a point that needs to be stressed.

In 2003-04, prior to funding being allocated through the PHOFAs, the Australian government provided $50 million per annum to family planning organisations. As I have just mentioned to Senator Fielding, the new measures announced by the Prime Minister today are expected to cost $51 million over the four years. I again stress that that is very good news for counselling services because that is above and beyond what has already been allocated. (Time expired)