Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister please update the House on actions the Morrison government is taking to improve the safety and economic security of women and girls?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lindsay for her question. I thank the member for Lindsay and the many members of my team for the incredible job they have done in supporting the government in framing the policies that go to the very question that the member has asked of preventing violence against women in this country, of improving their safety and, indeed, of improving the economic security of women and girls.

Yesterday, when we acknowledged and apologised for the unacceptable history of workplace bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault here in Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces, was an important occasion in this place. But, as we all know, these issues are not isolated to this workplace or to this place more broadly, not even as a workplace. These issues affect Australians all over the country. So, in answer to the Leader of the Opposition's question, I set out the very significant investments that we as a government have been making—but not on our own; in partnership—as part of a national plan. From those who are working at the coalface on this issue all the way through to those designing policy in the states and territories, not-for-profit organisations and the Commonwealth government, they have pulled together. I thank all of them for their tremendous work. It's very important work. As I said, it's work that began under Prime Minister Gillard and has continued under my prime ministership and all of those in between with, I think, an equally shared passion and commitment, and our government will continue to do that.

Another very important area where the government has acted on the safety of women is in the area of women's health. This morning I heard a very brave story from Amy Phillips, who lives here in Canberra. She has three boys, nine, 16 and 17, and she is suffering from ovarian cancer. Today was the Ovarian Cancer Australia breakfast. The Teal Support Program, which has been so important in her experience, began some years ago. This government supported Ovarian Cancer Australia. We committed, on a bipartisan basis this morning—the Leader of the Opposition made a similar commitment—to see that program continue into the future. But that backs in some $21 million, particularly for ovarian cancer research, which has been so important in supporting women in that position.

There's also Lynparza and the many other drugs that have been approved under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. I think it is 285—sorry, I correct myself. Eight hundred and fifty-seven new medicines have been listed on the PBS, just since the last election, and for women in particular there's the listing of Kisqali and the listing of Oripro, which is to prevent women from going into premature labour. There are the two days of paid miscarriage leave for miscarriages, the national stillbirth action plan, improvements to the cervical and breast cancer screening programs, the endometriosis action plan— (Time expired)