Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—Before I answer that question, I welcome the red T-shirts to the chamber, people with lived experience of early onset bowel cancer. Rates of this are exploding in Australia and many other countries around the world. They've come to Canberra to talk about their deeply powerful personal stories with members across the chamber. On behalf of the chamber, I'd like to thank them for doing that over the course of today.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

I thank the member for Macarthur for that question. He knows very much about the PBS, and, as the Prime Minister said, it truly is one of the core pillars of Australia's world-leading healthcare system, yet another feature of our healthcare system introduced by another reforming Labor government almost 80 years ago. It delivers access to the world's best medicines at affordable prices, and this government has been working hard to make those prices even more affordable. Four waves of cheaper medicines policies in our first term of government have already saved Australians more than $1½ billion in co-payments at the pharmacy counter.

But those huge savings don't account for the huge benefit of 350 new or amended listings that we have made to the PBS in our time in government. The member for Macarthur, a deeply experienced paediatrician, knows just how impactful asthma is to Australia's children and young people. Every day almost 40 children are hospitalised by asthma and tens of thousands more struggle with everyday activities like playing sport or playing in the playground. Today is the beginning of the national asthma awareness week, so it's a terrific day to announce a new PBS listing that takes effect today: Dupixent, a highly effective medicine for serious asthma which is not responding to even quite high-intensity treatments. There are kids like Jack, a 10-year-old from south-western Sydney who was first admitted to Campbelltown Hospital when he was just three. Jack's mum has been saying that, even on a preventer inhaler, he couldn't play sport and couldn't run around with his friends at birthday parties. But several months ago he got early access to Dupixent, and his mum, Sarah, said recently: 'It's been a miracle. Last week we had our school sports carnival, and Jack came third. Previously, he wouldn't have even been able to take part.' That's the beauty of the PBS. Before today's listing, Jack's family would have paid $11,000 a year for that; from today, they'll pay $31, and from 1 January next year, if the Senate passes our bill, they'll pay just $25. That's great for Jack's health but also great for his family's hip pocket.

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