Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Farrell. Minister, last week the Senate agreed, without dissent, to the coalition's second reading amendment to the national health amendment bill requiring the listing of all medicines approved by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Is the government policy to list all medicines approved by the PBAC on the PBS?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ruston for her question.

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

What was Peter Dutton's record? Was he the worst one?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think he was.

Opposition senators interjecting—

The:

Order!

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, of course, we have seen what the Liberals do when they are in control of the health budget and of course we've seen what leader Dutton did when he was—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, a point of order on direct relevance: as you point out, interjections are always disorderly, but you allow some degree of latitude, but what we outrageously have here is the Leader of the Government in the Senate responding to interjections that are really not interjections; they are prompts from the ministers sitting behind him. The coalition was silenced as the minister was answering, and I ask you to draw him to the question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Birmingham, that is not a point of order, but I am going to remind Minister Farrell of the question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course, it was the Curtin and Chifley governments that took the first—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Well, it's worth putting it in its historical context. I won't repeat what I said earlier about leader Dutton's performance in this area, but it is worth pointing out that the Curtin and Chifley governments took the steps to make medicines affordable for all Australians post the Second World War.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, on a point of order in relation to relevance, I would ask you if you could reflect on the minister's answer so far to this question, which I believe has gone in no way to my question, which was very specifically targeted to a vote in this chamber, or an agreement in this chamber last week, to say that all medicines that were approved by PBAC would be listed on the PBS. I'd ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ruston, and I'm sure you noted that I have already directed the minister to your question, and I will direct the minister again.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're listing medicines and we're making them cheaper for all Australians. The government is committed to ensuring that Australians have access to affordable medicines by listing medicines recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, the PBAC, on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The government has delivered on our election promise to cut the cost of medications for millions and millions of Australians by reducing the PBS co-payment to a maximum of $30 per script.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, again on a matter of relevance: I have not asked about the co-payment for medicines. I clearly asked about the listing of PBAC-approved medicines on the PBS.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ruston. You did refer to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and I think the minister is being relevant. I will listen carefully to the remainder of his answer to the question.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the same point of order, they are two different things.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ruston. Minister Farrell, please continue.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since 1 July 2022 the government has committed additional funding for 67 new and amended PBS listings. A further 83 items were also approved, where the budget— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. Senator Ruston, a first supplementary?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, last week the Senate agreed without dissent to the coalition's second reading amendment to the national health amendment bill, which called on the government to urgently intervene to ensure Fiasp remains permanently available on the PBS for the 15,000 Australians who rely on it beyond the six-month funding cliff. Considering this, when will the government announce to these 15,000 Australians that permanent, ongoing and affordable access to Fiasp on the PBS has been agreed to by the government?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think I indicated when I was asked this question last week that, being a diabetic myself, I do have some familiarity with the drugs that are on the PBS, and of course the drug that you've just mentioned, Fiasp, is a fast acting insulin drug for diabetes—a very important drug. Minister Butler's office was made aware on 22 February 2023—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator Ruston?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance again—the question was very specific about the agreement of this chamber for the medicine to be permanently, ongoingly listed. I'm just asking the minister, through you, President, if he could please advise when the 15,000 people who rely on this drug are going to be advised of the decision by this government to actually permanently list it.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ruston. I believe the minister is being relevant, and I will listen to the remainder of his answer.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't know why the opposition keeps asking me questions and then stops me from answering them, but let's see how we go. Minister Butler's office was made aware on 22 February 2023 of Novo Nordisk's intention to delist the drug from the PBS on 1 April 2023. The government appreciates the distress that a delisting— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, a second supplementary?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, last week the Senate agreed without dissent to the coalition's second reading amendment to national health amendment bill which called on the government to urgently list Trikafta on the PBS for children aged between six and 11 years old with cystic fibrosis, noting that the PBAC recommended it be listed in November last year. Considering this, when will the government announce the listing to the 500 children aged between six and 11 with cystic fibrosis who will benefit from the affordable access of this life changing medicine?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ruston for her question. Trikafta is a drug used to treat cystic fibrosis. The government will expand the listing of that drug on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in patients aged between six and eleven years as quickly as possible. The Department of Health and Aged Care is working—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator Ruston?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I just seek a point of clarification from the minister? Is he saying that the government hasn't agreed to do this? Is he actually saying that—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order, Senator Ruston.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

the agreement of the chamber is somehow being ignored?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Order! Resume your seat. Resume your seat! Minister Farrell, please continue.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will repeat my answer in case Senator Ruston missed it. The government will expand the listing of the drug on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in patients who are aged between six to eleven years as quickly as possible. The Department of Health and Aged Care is working with the company that produces that drug, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, to finalise all necessary listing requirements— (Time expired)

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How will the Albanese government work with the New South Wales government to deliver meaningful outcomes for the people of New South Wales and, indeed, all of Australia?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I congratulate you, Senator Sheldon, on behalf of the rest of your Senate colleagues, for the terrific work that you put in to the wonderful result on the weekend. Over the weekend, the people of New South Wales had their opportunity to have a say. And they spoke with a loud and clear voice as they voted for a fresh start under the terrific leadership of Chris Minns and Labor.

The people of New South Wales echoed the messages that we heard last year from the people of South Australia, from the people of Victoria and from the people of Australia when they voted for Labor governments. People voted for Labor governments because Labor governments are focused on tackling the issues that matter to Australian people. People voted for Labor governments who are focused on their needs as opposed to the internal party fights as those opposite continue to do.

We welcome the Minns Labor government. We will be working with the Minns government, in the same way we work with all state and territory governments, as we address the cost-of-living challenges people are facing as the result of a decade of Liberal and National neglect. We will support all state and territory governments to deliver support for Australians based on need as opposed to the colour coded spreadsheets that the former Liberal-National government relied on. And we will work with all state and territory governments to make Australians' lives better, because that's exactly what Labor governments do.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sheldon, a first supplementary?

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's great to hear how the Albanese government will work the Minns government to deliver meaningful outcomes for the people of New South Wales and, more broadly, Australia. Can the minister update the Senate on the measures the Albanese government has already taken to make Australian lives much better?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): I thank Senator Sheldon, once again, for his very perceptive question about the links between the new Minns government and the Albanese government. The Albanese Labor government has been delivering meaningful outcomes for Australians over the last 12 months. In just 10 months, we've made childcare cheaper, we've made medicines cheaper, we've got an increase in the minimum wage, we've got a pay rise for aged-care workers, we've created 180,000 fee-free TAFE places, we've created 20,000 university places, we've expanded the Commonwealth seniors card, we've extended paid parental leave, we've supported regional first home buyers and we've repaired international relations. We've delivered so much that I can't list it all in just the minutes I have in this answer. But Australians can rest assured— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sheldon, a second supplementary?

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for the very informative response. Unfortunately, many of the Albanese policies which are designed to tackle the cost-of-living pressures and make Australians' lives better become the subject of political games in this place. What messages does the minister have for those who are putting internal party divisions and political pointscoring ahead of delivering outcomes for Australians?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sheldon for his question. I've noticed this issue too, Senator Sheldon. Sadly, many Liberal and National Party members and senators spend their time fighting within their own party. They spend their time seeking to score cheap political points. They spend their time looking for the latest social media video instead of looking at how they can help make Australians' lives better, like the Labor Party does.

I've a message to those opposite: cheap political stunts don't help Australians with their cost-of-living challenges. They don't help put a roof over Australian families' heads and they don't make Australian lives better. It's clear from the results in New South Wales, this weekend, Australians—cheap political pointscoring. I call on all of those opposite to stop the political games and work with this government to deliver meaningful change that benefits the Australian people.