Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I'm so pleased that Senator Smith asked me this question. It gives me the opportunity to place on the record and acknowledge the work that she did in the previous term in the area of women's health, particularly the focus on perimenopause and menopause. It's a direct result of some of Senator Smith's work that we are able to incorporate some of the measures we have and are implementing in this term of government.

This week is National Women's Health Week. It's a nationwide campaign, with events focused on improving women's health. I would also like to acknowledge the work that the member for Cooper, Ms Kearney, did on the women's health package throughout last term. Over the last term, we opened 22 endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics across all states and territories. We've also listed new contraceptives on the PBS for the first time in 30 years, including Yas and Yasmin from 1 March and Slinda from 1 May. We've listed new menopause therapies on the PBS for the first time in over 20 years, including Prometrium, Estrogel and Estrogel Pro from 1 March. We've established a new Medicare rebate for menopause health assessments, and over 20,000 women have undergone a menopause health assessment, covered by Medicare, since they became available on 1 July.

We've made longer gynaecology consultations cheaper through two MBS items, from 1 July, which allows for consultations of 45 minutes or longer, allowing those complex conditions women may have to be addressed by a doctor. We are also opening a further 11 endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics. We're making long-acting reversible contraception insertion cheaper, and we're training more medical professionals on how to do that. (Time expired)