David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health. Could the minister update the Senate on how the government is demonstrating it is on the side of Australians, who rely on affordable access to medicines, and can the senator tell the Senate how many medicines have been listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme since October 2013?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Van for what I consider to be an incredibly important question. Listing medicines on the PBS is a clear sign that the government is on the side of Australians. I am very pleased to inform the Senate that the coalition has invested over $10.6 billion in life-saving and life-changing medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

What that translates down to is: this is over 2,100 new or amended listings. And we know what those listings will do for the lives of so many Australians. These are listings that actually change lives—in particular, for people who could not afford these drugs if they were not subsidised. Those drugs can cost everyday Australians who so desperately need them hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. To be able to stand up and say as a government we have listed over 2,100 drugs does show we are on the side of Australians.

We are currently averaging approximately 31 new or amended listings per month. That is approximately one new drug listed every single day. We will continue to list drugs and invest in medicines that are for the benefit of Australians. For example, in this year alone we've listed a drug like Bavencio. This is a drug for treating metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. It is a rare and highly aggressive form of skin cancer. If you didn't have that drug listed you probably wouldn't be able to access the drug itself.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cash. Senator Van, a supplementary question.

David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could the minister update the Senate on the policy framework that has achieved this?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the proud achievements of this government is the listing of drugs on the PBS, and we on this side of the chamber know that that is only made possible by a strong economy. You will have heard the Prime Minister say, time and time again, 'Australians understand the benefits and the dividends provided by a strong economy.' They know, for a government to be able to list a life-saving drug on the PBS, the government just can't pluck the money out of thin air. This government knows that. That is why we are so committed to put in place the right economic framework that enables us to have a strong economy and, ultimately, show that we are on the side of Australians, through dividends and benefits, such as an investment of in excess of $10.6 billion in life-saving and life-changing medicines on our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Van, a final supplementary question.

David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for her answer. How does this achievement differ from the approaches of previous governments?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is one of those areas that just stands in stark contrast when you look at what happened under the former Labor government and you look at what has happened under the coalition government since we were elected. We understand the benefits of a strong economy. Those on the opposite side don't. And because they don't understand the benefits of a strong economy, Labor, when in government, stopped listing life-changing drugs on the PBS. Why? Because they ran out of money. That is their track record on health. They stopped listing life-saving drugs on the PBS. In fact, in a 2011 budget paper, they said, 'The listing of some medicines will be deferred until fiscal circumstances permit.' You either understand the benefits of a strong economy or you don't, and we are on the side of everyday Australians. (Time expired)