Jackie Kelly (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the government expanding the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to provide a wider range of affordable medicines for those in medical need and, further, what new assistance is being provided through the PBS to women with early stage breast cancer and to those at risk of heart disease and diabetes?

Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Tuckey interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for O’Connor is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lindsay for her question and I acknowledge her successful efforts—

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Gillard interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Lalor!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To secure an after-hours GP clinic at Nepean Hospital funded by the federal government. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is one of the most important components of Australia’s health system. I should point out to the benefit of members that, to a considerable extent, improvements in life expectancy from 70 years at birth 45 years ago to over 80 years at birth today are due to effective drugs available to all Australians under the PBS. To protect taxpayers as well as to benefit patients, drugs only go on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme if they can satisfy rigorous cost-effectiveness tests administered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

I know many Australians were delighted when on 1 October a number of new and innovative drugs were listed on the PBS. First of all, Herceptin has been listed for HER2 positive women with early stage breast cancer, and that was listed after an expedited approval process. It is estimated that this will boost breast cancer survival rates, currently 85 per cent for the affected patient group, to about 90 per cent. Secondly, the drugs Lantus and Levemir have been listed for patients with diabetes, and these certainly should help them to better manage their condition. Finally, people with cardiac risk factors will be able to access statins on the PBS regardless of their cholesterol level. All up, these very significant changes will benefit more than 360,000 Australians and they will cost more than $860 million over the forward estimates period.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What’s the cutback you’re planning? $1.6 billion?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All this shows—we’ve got more sound effects from the member for Lalor—no policy whatsoever—

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What’s the cutback you’re planning?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Lalor is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

just a constant whingeing and whining from the member for Lalor, constant whingeing and whining from a person who is completely bereft of any policies or any ideas as to how to deal with the health problems of the Australian people. What all of this demonstrates is that the Howard government will not hesitate—

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Gillard interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lalor has been warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to invest the money needed to make a good system even better. The Howard government has yet again demonstrated its clear credentials as the best friend that Medicare has ever had—and doesn’t the member for Lalor hate that!