Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Women and Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Gallagher. This week, the Albanese Labor government responded to two Senate inquiries on women's health that made recommendations to improve reproductive and menopause health care in Australia. The government has taken these inquiries seriously by delivering a $570 million package of women's health measures that will give women more choice and save women and their families thousands of dollars. How does the government's women's healthcare package respond to the Senate inquiries and deliver for Australian women?

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

I thank Senator Bilyk for the question, and, of course, I am thankful for the work of all of my colleagues in the Labor caucus who have worked so hard to make sure that we are addressing areas where women have not been given the support that they deserve, in particular here in relation to access to appropriate health care. I do want to acknowledge the work that's been done in this chamber, through this term of parliament, on the Senate sexual reproductive inquiry and the Senate menopause inquiry. The inquiries heard from Australian women and health advocacy organisations about the longstanding issues with support for women's health care, and the Albanese Labor government has listened.

In addition to the inquiries, Minister Kearney and Minister Butler have been informed by extensive consultation with women, healthcare providers, advocacy groups and the National Women's Health Advisory Council. We know from all of that that women too often experience delayed diagnoses, have their pain dismissed and struggle to get the support they need. Women need for their government to take their health care seriously. We have listened and we have responded. A significant package—$573 million—demonstrates our commitment to making sure we are addressing those areas of need. This package includes the first PBS listing for new oral contraceptive pills in more than 30 years. There are more choices, lower costs, better access for long-term contraceptives, more Medicare support for women experiencing menopause, the first PBS listing for new menopausal hormone therapies in over 20 years, more endometriosis and pelvic-pain clinics treating more conditions, and contraceptives and treatment for uncomplicated UTIs directly from pharmacies for those women who are on a healthcare card and where cost becomes prohibitive. These packages will save women and their families thousands of dollars over their lifetimes.

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

Senator Bilyk, first supplementary?

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for that response, Minister. Not only will this funding assist women with their healthcare choices; it will also help women with their economic security. Chief Executive Women has found that, on average, women retire earlier than men due in large part to their health. How will this package, particularly the menopause initiatives, support women in the workforce?

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

I thank Senator Bilyk for the question. This is a package that recognises that women bear a high cost for their health over their lifetime and that there has been a gap in quality and responsive health services for women. We know that this has real impacts on women not just in bringing down the costs of health treatments through this package but also in avoiding the costs that women bear when they can't access quality health care. Chief Executive Women has pointed out that, on average, women retire earlier than men and 12 years earlier than they want to due in large part to their health. This obviously has huge impacts on a woman's life and on her economic security into retirement but also on our economy.

Employing just five per cent more people age 55 or over could add $48 billion to the Australian economy. Monash University has also estimated women's labour force absence costs $72 billion in lost GDP annually. This package goes to making women's health care more affordable and more accessible and to giving women more choices. (Time expired)

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

Senator Bilyk, second supplementary?

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The women's health package adds to a huge amount of work that the Albanese Labor government has done to repair Australia's health system after a decade of coalition neglect. How would Australian women be impacted if the government had not done the work to repair the health system?

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

We know that those opposite, given the chance, want to cut Medicare if they get back into government. We know that because we have only to look at their record. What happened when they were last in government, when Mr Dutton was voted the worst health minister in the country ever? Bulk-billing was in freefall, a GP tax was on the table, they froze the Medicare rebate for six years, they cut $200 million out of emergency departments, they voted against making medicines cheaper and they threatened to cut $50 billion from public hospitals. That is the record. We don't need to imagine what it would be like; that is the record.

In terms of the women's health package, there was very quick support from those opposite, but I wonder why none of that happened when they were in government for a decade? Why did none of that happen when they were in government? It's taken a Labor government to fix it. (Time expired)