Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Hansard source

The government will not be supporting the amendment moved by Senator Payman. We reiterate the point that, thanks to Labor's plan, the maximum amount a general patient pays will be $25 per prescription plus any applicable premiums. We consider that it provides immediate cost-of-living relief to patients without a concession card, but the important thing is that it will also ensure that the PBS remains sustainable. These are some of the things that parties of government need to give consideration to because we need to ensure that the PBS operates in a way that allows us to continue to list new medicines; allows us to continue, as a government, to make investments in other essential services like bulk-billing; and allows us to ensure that we have a competitive and sustainable pharmaceutical market.

I should add, Senator Payman, that it is also the case that this is the policy that we took to the last election and the policy that the Australian people voted for.