Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

At the start I acknowledge the speech made just then by the member for Dobell. Every year there's just one speech in the parliament that really stands out and makes you think. I acknowledge the words of great empathy, knowledge and compassion of the member for Dobell.

I too rise to support the National Health Amendment (General Co-Payment) Bill 2022. This bill will reduce the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme co-payment for medications to provide Australians with more affordable access to necessary medicines. The bill will cut the cost of the PBS co-payment from the current maximum of $42.50 per script to $30 per script—at most, a reduction of around one-third of the current cost for general patients. That is an extraordinary saving, particularly when people have multiple scripts. This bill will ease the cost-of-living pressures and produce public health benefits. I therefore commend it to the House.

It's excellent we're doing this for scripts, but in order to get the script you have to go to your doctor. That is what I am hearing about from so many constituents and from so many GP practices that are no longer able to bulk bill or have closed their practice. That has really happened in the last six months. I'm deeply concerned for many of my residents, whether they be on JobSeeker or the pension, the age pension or the disability pension. We're finding that in the past many GP practices were able to bulk-bill patients in those circumstances, but they're no longer doing this. In my electorate I have a number of constituents who are, potentially, delaying going to the doctor. It's a false economy, because it's costing our health system more if people delay treatment.

This National Health Amendment (General Co-Payment) Bill 2022 is a very welcome piece of legislation. I have written to and met with the Minister for Health and Aged Care, asking the government to address this urgent issue with respect to GPs no longer being able to bulk-bill. In regional areas, like mine, people are waiting weeks and weeks to see a doctor, and sometimes they're cancelling at the last minute because they just don't have that $80, in many cases, to put forward as a co-payment.

While this is incredibly welcome—around scripts and the cost of medication—we need to make it so that you can go and visit your doctor, particularly if you are on any kind of Centrelink payment. This includes self-funded retirees, the cohort that always gets forgotten in all of this. I'm hearing from many people in my community that are no longer able to afford the doctor at all. I worry that while the scripts have been made cheaper many of them won't visit the doctor to get the scripts in the first place.

To return to this piece of legislation, this is an excellent first step. I do hope that lifting the rate of the Medicare rebate for GPs is the next urgent step we address in this place so that health care can be a universal need for all.

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