Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Women's health in Australia has too often been treated as a niche issue, as if half the population were somehow an afterthought. For too long, women were told their pain was normal, their symptoms were hormonal and their concerns were exaggerated. The Albanese Labor government is changing that. We are backing women's health with action, with reform and with nearly $800 million in real investment through our historic women's health package, and we are already seeing the results.

More than 700,000 women have accessed over 2.3 million cheaper PBS prescriptions for contraceptives, menopausal hormone therapies and endometriosis treatments. That includes the first new contraceptive pill listed on the PBS in more than 30 years, alongside two additional contraceptive options. In all, 328,000 women have saved more than $27 million on 660,000 scripts. For women managing menopause, the first new menopausal hormone therapies in over 20 years are now listed, and 383,000 women have saved $53 million across 1.6 million scripts. Of the more than one in seven women living with endometriosis—my wife is one of them—over 7,000 women have accessed 30,000 scripts, saving $5.7 million on treatment that previously put enormous financial pressures on families. Women undergoing IVF now have earlier and more affordable access to treatment, with 46,000 women supplied 273,000 scripts that lower the cost of fertility care. Since January this year, PBS medicines cost just $25 and $7.70 for concession card holders. Those are the lowest prices since 2004. That is real cost-of-living relief for Australian women.

But women's health is not just about medicines; it's about access, recognition and proper care. That is why from 1 July 2025 Medicare funded menopause health assessments became available. More than 71,000 women have already accessed these dedicated consultations, receiving the time and support they deserve at a critical stage of life. We have introduced new Medicare items and higher rebates for gynaecological care, making longer consultations for more complex issues accessible and more affordable. Around 430,000 additional services have now been delivered for women with endometriosis, PCOS, chronic pelvic pain and other conditions, backed by a $49 million national investment. IUDs and contraceptive implants are now easier and cheaper to access, with larger Medicare payments and more bulk-billing saving women up to $400 a year.

We are building an Australia-wide support system that simply did not exist before. Thirty of the 33 endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics are now operational, with 11 new clinics delivered under this government. These clinics are expanding to provide perimenopause and menopause care, recognising that women's health is not siloed; it is lifelong. We are funding Australia's first national clinical guidelines for perimenopause and menopause, ensuring consistent evidence-based care no matter where a woman lives. This year, Australia will see its first national awareness campaign for menopause and perimenopause, giving women information and recognition they have been denied for decades.

We are also making it easier for women to receive directly from pharmacies treatment for uncomplicated UTIs, including trials benefiting 250,000 concession card holders, who can consult a trained pharmacist at no cost. We have expanded PBS access for IVF medicines like Pergoveris pens, increasing the maximum number per script and lowering out-of-pocket costs for women trying to start to grow their families.

These reforms matter nationally, but they also matter locally. In the north of Adelaide, in my electorate of Spence, we have seen firsthand what targeted women's health investment looks like. Perinatal health has often gone unspoken about. When a time that can be filled with such joy and celebration turns dark, many struggle to know where to go and what to do. That is why the Elizabeth Clinic is providing specialised, compassionate care to women and families during pregnancy and in the postnatal period, as well as for perinatal health, supporting mothers at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives. Many parents experience anxiety, depression or emotional distress during the perinatal period. Our perinatal mental health centre in Elizabeth provides that support in a welcoming, non-judgemental way. This kind of service is not a luxury; it is essential. I'm extremely proud of the work the Albanese Labor government is doing.

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