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

Thank you to the member for Holt. I know she does everything she can to deliver and promote cost-of-living relief to the hard-working people of the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. I know she's delighted that the bulk-billing rate in her electorate is now over 94 per cent and that three quarters of practices in her electorate bulk-bill 100 per cent of their patients, 100 per cent of the time.

And I know she knows that this is a big day for cost-of-living relief in Australia: a big pay rise for millions of low-paid workers, a tax cut for every Australian worker, more relief at the bowser for another month, more time for new parents with their beautiful new babies—up to six months now—knowing that the bills will be covered by our extended Paid Parental Leave. We're doing more to make Medicare even stronger and medicines even cheaper.

Finally, today, our hardworking public hospitals are freed from the mediocrity of the Morrison-era funding agreement. We know that demand and pressures on public hospitals are climbing year on year, and this side of the parliament is not going to nickel-and-dime hardworking doctors and nurses in public hospitals the way the Liberal Party always does. They would have received, under that agreement, about $12 billion in growth funding over five long years. Under this agreement signed by this prime minister, they'll get triple that amount—$37 billion—to keep them doing their important work in our 750 public hospitals.

I'm also delighted to say to the member for Holt and others that from today we deliver another chapter in our support for women during menopause and perimenopause. Last year, for the first time in decades, we finally listed new menopause hormone treatments for Australia's women. Last year we introduced a new assessment item so women can talk to their GPs about issues associated with menopause and perimenopause, and, from today, led by the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, we are extending the work of our successful endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics to include issues associated with menopause and perimenopause.

And, last but certainly not least, today is a bumper day for the PBS, with 10 new life-saving, life-changing medicines added today that will benefit tens of thousands of Australian patients. There are five new medicines for different types of cancer, and there are new medicines for growth hormone deficiency, for severe asthma, for myasthenia gravis and for a whole range of other conditions as well. Some of them would have cost tens of thousands of dollars without being added to the PBS. All of this is making a real difference to Australians and to their household budgets and their health, and it's building a healthier Australia.

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