Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government is absolutely committed to strengthening Medicare and has been doing that since day one of being in government. This week in the parliament, we introduced legislation for cheaper medicines. This means a prescription under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme will cost Australians no more than $25 from 1 January 2026. This builds on action we've already taken to deliver cost-of-living relief through cheaper medicines. We had the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS, with the 60-day prescription saving time and money and freezing the cost of PBS medicines. For pensioners and concession cardholders, their scripts stay at $7.70 until 2030—a vitally important issue in my region, where I have many pensioners and concession cardholders.

This cheaper-medicines policy is another key cost-of-living measure that this government has brought in. For the people of the North Coast, all our initiatives have made a huge impact on them when it comes to health care, particularly the tripling of the bulk-billing rates; making MRI scans more affordable; new health services to support those experiencing homelessness; a new headspace in Ballina, which is already open and providing important services for our younger people; and, really importantly, changes to the Modified Monash Model for the township of Murwillumbah.

I've told this House many times the situation in Murwillumbah. The Morrison government changed the classification of the wonderful small regional town of Murwillumbah from 'regional' to 'metropolitan', which was completely absurd. That meant they were unable to bulk-bill many people and they couldn't attract many doctors. The situation was devastating, and I was very pleased that the Minister for Health and Ageing came to Murwillumbah, met with local doctors and heard firsthand about the impact of this classification. Only a few months ago, it was changed; Murwillumbah is classified as a regional area again, and I am very pleased to report that many local doctors and local residents are telling me that bulk-billing has increased. We've now got a lot of doctors that want to move there because the incentives are in place. Again, it's about Labor listening and acting. For this town in my region, it was a huge improvement when it came to health services.

During the election, I made the commitment to getting an urgent care clinic in Tweed Heads—it is absolutely important that people can access that, and they will just need their Medicare card to do it—and a Medicare mental health centre in Tweed Heads, which will be free and bulk-billed. Both those services will be so important for the Tweed and the North Coast region.

Yet again, it's a Labor government that continues to deliver and strengthen Medicare after so many cuts and rebates being frozen under the previous government. It's now the Albanese Labor government delivering for my community and, indeed, right across Australia.

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