Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the motion, noting that it has been 12 months since the commencement of the bipartisan women's health package. This is a package that had the support of both major parties in this place and that built on the significant work undertaken by the former coalition government to improve health outcomes for Australian women. The coalition supported the package, which is an expansion of the historic commitments we made in government to support women's health.

Women's health has always been a priority for the coalition, which is why we launched the National Women's Health Strategy 2020-2030 to improve long-term health outcomes for women and girls. In May 2022, in line with that strategy, the coalition announced our historic investment for endometriosis, which led to the establishment of Australia's first endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics. It would be remiss of me to not acknowledge two former colleagues—Nola Marino, the member for Forrest; and Nicolle Flint, the member for Boothby—who spearheaded the push through the last parliament to secure the commitment to establish these historic clinics. We welcome the government's decision to expand on this work with 11 new endometriosis clinics.

Prior to the last election, the coalition announced that we would match this important women's health package, including measures to enhance menopause care for women through the new Medicare rebate, expand health professional training, develop national clinical guidelines and increase funding for endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics. Whether it is helping women who live with chronic health conditions like endo, supporting women through menopause or helping families on their fertility journey, we are committed to getting the policy settings right and we know this must be above politics.

In Lindsay, in my community and right across Western Sydney, these issues are very real. Women in my community face barriers when it comes to getting timely treatment for chronic conditions and navigating a health system that can feel hard to access, especially for women from culturally diverse backgrounds or those doing it tough. Local research from Western Sydney University shows these gaps clearly. While services across Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, including Nepean Hospital, do vital work for women, demand is high and access is becoming harder. One of the things that stands out for me in Western Sydney is that only 29 per cent of women eligible for cervical cancer screening are getting screened. This is against the national benchmark of 70 per cent.

We welcome the fact that Australian women have accessed more affordable scripts for new contraceptives, therapies and treatments listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme over the past 12 months. But we urge the government to ensure that they are continuing the coalition's longstanding policy of listing all medicines and treatments that have been recommended by PBAC on the PBS and to do so in a timely manner.

It must be noted that the Albanese government waited more than 12 months to finally progress a recommendation for Ryeqo, an important treatment for endo, and to list this potentially life-changing medication on the PBS. It was simply not good enough to leave women suffering from endometriosis waiting for more than a year for affordable access to this medication after it had been recommended for listing. We do not want to see this government's mismanagement of the PBS result in Australian women waiting longer than necessary for access to potentially life-changing care.

The coalition also remains concerned that, under the Albanese government, it has never been harder or more expensive for Australian women to access critical primary care. Patients are now paying more than $50 on average out of pocket to see a GP under Labor's cost-of-living crisis, the highest out-of-pocket costs in Medicare's history. In Lindsay, only 51 per cent of GP clinics bulk-bill, despite what the health minister claims, which means that for many women the question is no longer whether they should see a doctor but whether they can afford to. Australian women must have timely and affordable access to health advice and check-ups, particularly if they are managing debilitating conditions like menopause and endometriosis or undertaking the important journey of starting a family.

Getting access to cheaper medicines is only one part of ensuring women can get the care they need. We want to ensure that women across Australia can access care that not only is affordable but also understands their experience and needs. We will continue to hold the government to account for delays, for delivery failures and for rising costs that are undermining access to care for Australian women. Australian women deserve a health system that works for them at every stage of their life.

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