Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I continue the reflection of my experience of Medicare. I was mid-story, talking about having my young daughter fall off her scooter and be whisked off to an emergency department. Preserving, protecting and strengthening our Medicare system has been important for mums like me and people like me who, through their life cycle, have had the joy of experiencing and having the support of Medicare. I feel so proud to continue to be part of a government that are delivering and ensuring that we protect Medicare.

Also, on the importance of urgent care clinics, the Albanese Labor government will continue to build on their investment from their first term in urgent care clinics. Urgent care clinics are obviously critical to our health system. I also have a personal experience taking my young nephew, who was clearly distressed after a bit of a face plant in a playground, into an urgent care clinic. He was seen within 20 minutes, had an ice pack and felt nice and reassured. They're the joys of being able to do that: making sure that our families remain central to the things that we do in health care; having cheaper medicines; making sure that the 75-year history of the PBS, the easing of cost-of-living pressures for all Australians and the billions of dollars that they will save in prescriptions continue under our government; and the strong action on vaping—I talked a little bit about that in my speech—and more funding for public hospitals.

The Albanese Labor government is delivering on an additional $1.8 billion for public hospitals and health services next year. That one-year agreement also means that Australians will benefit from having better funded public hospitals. This builds on a long-term health system reform that we in the government are committed to. The total Commonwealth contribution to state-run public hospitals will reach a record $33.91 billion in 2025-26, and you will see year-on growth in Commonwealth funding for state and territory public hospitals to 12 per cent. I know that those in opposition don't like to hear this, but they were responsible for cutting $50 billion out of public hospitals and out of that health budget. That's a really important, stark contrast to the investment that the Albanese Labor government will continue to work in collaboration and cooperation with states and territories to deliver on for our public health system in five-year agreements.

The work that the Albanese Labor government are continuing to commit to is so important. We believe that no-one should be left behind and that no-one should be getting below-par health care in this country. That is why we continue to invest in, strengthen and protect Medicare. It was built by a Labor government; it will continue to be protected by Labor governments, now and into the future. Over here in the government, we are unapologetic about that. The funding and the contributions that we are making to health care will absolutely improve the quality of life of all Australians. They will tackle and address the cost-of-living pressures and challenges being faced by Australians across our country. These are important measures. These single investments and the protection against fraud and other issues within the integrity of our payment systems are critical. We want to make sure that we are protecting Australians, and this bill absolutely does that.