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

Hospitals across Australia are absolutely overrun. We're seeing record levels of ambulance ramping, and a key indicator of hospital stress is ambulance ramping. This is placing Australian patients at serious risk. We know that the significant number of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, cases this year has been a major contributor to this health crisis. There have been more than 145,000 cases of RSV already this year, which is particularly concerning because of the impact it has on the health of young babies and older Australians.

In good news, vaccines have been developed and approved by the TGA to combat the risks of this virus. However, it currently costs $350 to access an RSV vaccine because they have not been listed on the National Immunisation Program by the Albanese Labor government, despite more than three months ago the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee recommending that the government do so, for eligible expectant mothers. In the middle of the cost-of-living crisis, we know that mothers and older Australians are struggling to afford this additional cost.

Some states like Queensland and Western Australia have been forced to step in, in the absence of federal leadership, which has seen very positive results. The RACGP has expressed their concerns that this has led to a postcode lottery in our country. So we're experiencing a dual cost-of-living and hospital-ramping crisis right now, and it's getting worse by the day, yet the Albanese government is sitting on its hands and not providing national free access to this critical preventive health measure. The lack of urgency shown by this government is in complete conflict with the urgent situation. We call on the government to do something—show leadership and end this postcode lottery.