Ali France (Dickson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in support of the Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) (Repeal) Bill 2025. Medicare is Labor's heart, but it is also my heart. Medicare saved my life and gave my Henry the very best chance of surviving leukemia. My family has benefited from bulk-billed pathology over the last decade, which would probably amount to many thousands of dollars that we didn't have to pay upfront.

The Albanese Labor government is committed to delivering more bulk-billed services—not just more GP visits but also more pathology, diagnostic imaging like MRIs and more—and we want to ensure that the current bulk-billed health services continue. Our priority is to ensure that all Australians have access to affordable health care. That's why we are continuing to invest in strengthening Medicare.

This bill delivers fee relief to the pathology sector, in addition to the $509 million of funding for the sector included in the budget. This will ensure there is no gap and that services will continue to be bulk-billed. We're investing $174 million to increase the Medicare rebate for many common pathology tests for the first time in 25 years, and we're adding PCR tests for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses to Medicare. Medicare rebates will rise each year for labour-intensive pathology tests. This will support the pathology workforce and allow funding to flow through to increased wages.

We know Australians want to see pathology services continue to be bulk-billed. Less than one per cent of tests provided outside of hospitals are not bulk-billed at the moment. This investment will help ensure it stays that way. Labor will always—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 10:51 to 11:06

I may as well say a couple of lines again because I just love them so much! Medicare is not only Labor's heart but also mine. I have had probably thousands of pathology tests over the past 10 years. My family in general has had thousands of bulk-billed pathology tests over the last 10 years. That's one of the reasons this bill is so incredibly important: we need to continue the bulk-billing of pathology services.

Labor will always protect and strengthen Medicare. We're committed to more and better health services, no matter where you live. This is a stark comparison to those opposite. Let's not forget that, in their first term of office, the previous coalition government cut bulk-billing payments for pathology and diagnostic imaging, to make patients pay more. Labor is investing in pathology and diagnostic imaging. In my electorate of Dickson, more people in Strathpine now have access to more MRI scans funded through Medicare. The people of Dickson should only need their Medicare card, not their credit card—and that's what we are working towards—to receive the health care they need. That is exactly what our government is working to deliver. This licence is saving locals who get their scans done in Strathpine, and it will give patients in Dickson more choice on where to get their scan. Making MRIs more affordable is another way the Albanese government is strengthening Medicare.

This bill relates to the fees imposed on the pathology sector for certain categories of pathology applications. It specifies the fees which must be paid for the acceptance and approval of an approved pathology practitioner, an approved pathology authority and accredited pathology laboratory applications. The approval of these applications allows the providers of pathology services to claim Medicare benefits for delivering those services.

The 2022 Health Portfolio Charging Review identified that the fees set against each of these application categories have not been reviewed or changed since the pathology fees act came into force a very long time ago. This bill repeals the pathology fees act. It will resolve this misalignment and provide fee relief, in addition to reducing the administrative burden for the pathology sector. The consequential amendments included in this bill remove all references to the payment of fees for these application categories from 1 July 2025. Accreditation obligations associated with these applications will remain unchanged, thus maintaining the quality and safety of pathology services provided under Medicare.

As I have said, the Albanese Labor government is laser focused on strengthening Medicare. We are delivering more bulk-billing for all Australians. We are making the single largest investment in Medicare ever. This will deliver an additional 18 million bulk-billed GP visits every year so Australians can see a bulk-billing GP. We're opening more Medicare urgent care clinics. We're expanding and growing our network of Medicare urgent care clinics, opening an additional 50 clinics. Four in five Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a Medicare urgent care clinic under Labor, and I should mention our amazing Murrumba Downs Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. I've visited the facility many times. So many locals have gone there with their kids and family members, and it's avoided a trip to the emergency department. They love it.

We're making medicines even cheaper. Labor is providing cost-of-living relief to millions of Australians by making medicines cheaper. From 1 January 2026, the maximum cost of a prescription for a PBS medicine will be cut from $31.60 to $25. This makes a huge difference, particularly for people with chronic illnesses. Cutting that fee will make a huge difference to how much they spend on their medicines and other things over the year. We're hiring more doctors and nurses. Labor is growing the health workforce to deliver more doctors and nurses than ever before. This includes having the largest GP training program in Australian history and hundreds of scholarships for nurses and midwives to extend their skills and qualifications.

We're investing more than $790 million in women's health, something I am incredibly proud of. And I tell you what, at every door I knocked on that was answered by a mum or a young woman, I talked about our women's healthcare package, and people overwhelmingly said, 'Thank you so much.' Reducing the cost of women's health is incredibly important to me and my electorate. Labor will provide Australian women with more choice and better treatment at a lower cost, making contraceptives cheaper and funding more treatments for menopause. We're helping Australian women suffering from endometriosis and complex gynaecological conditions have access to longer specialist consultations covered under Medicare. We're supporting women's health by opening endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics. Labor will open an additional 11 clinics for a total of 33 clinics across every state and territory. This will mean that Australian women can access the care they need closer to home. All 33 clinics will be supported to extend their focus to also provide specialist support for menopause and perimenopause.

We're investing in free mental health support for Australian parents. New and expectant Australian parents will get free, personalised mental health support thanks to a $16.7 million investment by the Albanese Labor government to open another eight perinatal mental health centres around the country. I should quickly talk about our Medicare mental health centres that we're setting up across the country. This is going to be a game changer for people who need immediate mental health support. They can walk straight into a clinic and get the help they need. I'm really pleased that we're going to have two in my electorate of Dickson. I'm really looking forward to those opening up and being able to support our community with mental health services.

Overall, Labor is delivering more bulk-billing services across the board for all Australians. I'm so pleased to support this bill, which will mean that pathology services continue to be bulk-billed for most Australians.

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