Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I really want to thank the member for Moreton for bringing this motion to the House. It's a very important motion, and, of course, this motion can only come about because we have here in Australia a government that looks and sounds like our communities—a government that is deeply committed to ensuring no-one is held back and no-one is left behind and that includes a majority of women in the caucus.

Unfortunately, for too long, Australian women have been left behind when it comes to health policy in this country. They've not been listened to, and their health issues have not been taken seriously. I hear all the time from women in my own community in Chisholm about their experiences of not being listened to, and, indeed, I have had those experiences myself. I'm really pleased that we're changing the way women are treated in the health system in this country. This is happening because, as I mentioned, we have a caucus that is reflective of our country, with women at the table making decisions and ensuring that we get better outcomes for everyone. I'm really proud that our government is delivering more choice, lower costs and better care for Australian women.

What that looks like is an $800 million women's health package, driving more choice, lower costs and better care for women and girls across the country, and we're already seeing some really good outcomes. Since introducing the women's health package, more than 700,000 women have accessed over 2.3 million cheaper PBS prescriptions for contraceptives, menopausal hormone therapies and endometriosis treatments. This includes the first new contraceptive pill listed on the PBS in more than 30 years, plus two additional contraceptive options, helping 328,000 women save more than $27 million on 660,000 scripts; the first new menopausal hormone therapies listed in over 20 years, supporting 383,000 women and saving them $53 million across 1.6 million scripts; and more than 7,000 women with endometriosis accessing 30,000 scripts and saving $5.7 million on treatment that previously put major financial pressure on women.

In addition, we're supporting women undergoing IVF receiving earlier and more affordable access, with 46,000 women supplied 273,000 scripts that lowered the cost of fertility treatment. And, of course, since January of this year, PBS scripts have been just $25 and $7.70 for concession card holders, which is the lowest that medicine prices have been since 2004. That gives all Australians, including, of course, Australian women, more cost-of-living relief.

We're also making Medicare work better for women by delivering the services in specialist care women have waited far too long for. Medicare funded menopause health assessments have already been accessed by more than 71,000 women. New Medicare items and higher rebates mean cheaper, more accessible gynaecological care, with longer consultations now available for complex issues. We've funded around 430,000 additional services for women with endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, chronic pelvic pain and other gynaecological conditions, backed by a $49 million national investment that is directly improving women's lives. IUDs and contraceptive implants are now easier and cheaper to access, with larger Medicare payments and more bulk-billing, which is saving women up to $400 a year in out-of-pocket costs. This really matters because we know that women are the largest consumers of health in this country. So this is delivering great health outcomes for women but also delivering real cost-of-living savings.

We're building an Australia-wide support system that previously didn't exist, with 11 new endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics taking the national network to 33 clinics across the country, improving access everywhere, including regional and metropolitan communities. There is a lot of work that our government has been undertaking in this area. This year we will launch Australia's first national awareness campaign for menopause and perimenopause. This is a really important issue for people in my community of Chisholm. I've undertaken a women's health survey and held several women's health forums, including with women's health researchers. I really want to thank everyone for their generosity in sharing their stories with me so that I can advocate for the best possible outcomes for women's health in my community. I commend this motion to the House.

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