I am very pleased to speak in support of this bill before the House tonight, the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. At its heart this bill is about something simple but powerful: making sure people can afford the medicines they need—not in theory, not in a few years, but right now, in the middle of a cost-of-living crunch, when every dollar matters. This is a bill that goes to the core of what we value as Australians: fairness, equity and the belief that no-one should have to compromise their health because of what's in their wallet.

We know the price of essentials has been creeping up, whether it's at the grocery shop, in the electricity bill or on the fuel gauge. For far too many Australians that pressure has included the pharmacy counter. For many Australians medicines are a significant cost-of-living pressure, affecting women at almost twice the rate of men. In fact, in 2023-24, nearly 1.2 million Australians delayed or did not fill a script because of the cost. That's not just a number. That's real people—mums, dads, grandparents—having to make an impossible choice between their health and their household budget.

I've had countless conversations in Newcastle with people who've told me they've had to delay filling a script or cut tablets in half to make them last longer. Imagine being told by your doctor that you need a full dose to stay healthy and then having to take the risk of halving it because you simply can't afford the next box. That's not how a world-class health system should work. You shouldn't have to gamble with your health just to keep the lights on. That's what this bill is designed to fix.

This legislation is practical and targeted. It will cut the maximum PBS copayment. That's the most you'll pay for many common medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. This bill will also keep the copayment freeze for concession card holders going even longer, so pensioners, veterans and others on fixed incomes will know that they're not going to be hit with these price hikes. These are practical changes that mean immediate savings for households, without undermining the pharmacies that are so critical to our health system. This is smart, sensible reform that balances affordability for more than 5.1 million patients with sustainability for providers.

I always like to bring these big national reforms home, literally, and look at what they mean for Newcastle. Since Labor first reduced the PBS copayment last year, Novocastrians have saved more than $10 million from more than 1.2 million scripts, under Labor's cheaper-medicines bill, for a maximum $25 copayment. They'll save millions more. That's pensioners in Wallsend who can now afford every script on the list. It's young parents in Mayfield who don't have to choose between asthma medication for their kids and paying the water bill. It's people with chronic conditions—diabetes, high blood pressure, mental health needs—who can stay on track with their treatment instead of ending up in hospital. We know the flow-on effect: healthier people, fewer preventable hospital visits and a health system that works better for everyone. These are the kinds of flow-on effects we really want to see. When you take the financial stress out of filling a prescription, you improve lives and you take pressure off the hospital system, which is something that every government and every hospital administrator wants to see.

It's worth pausing for a moment here to look at the difference in approach between the Albanese Labor government and those opposite, the coalition, when it comes to health. Labor's record over the past three years speaks for itself: more free and cheaper medicines sooner, with a 25 per cent reduction in the number of scripts a concessional patient must fill before the PBS safety net kicks in, and the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS, with the maximum cost of a general script falling from $42.50 to $30—and, now with this bill, going down even further to just $25. We've had 60-day prescriptions, saving time and money for millions of Australians with ongoing health conditions. We've have the freezing of the cost of PBS medicines, with co-payments not rising with inflation for all Australians for the first time in 25 years. We've had the tripling of the bulk-billing incentives for GPs, helping to keep care affordable and accessible. We've also had the opening of Medicare urgent care clinics right across the country, including one at Charlestown, near Newcastle, so people can get seen quickly without a wait in an emergency department. We are expanding access to life-saving scans and tests under Medicare.

Now let's compare that with the track record of the Coalition. They froze Medicare rebates for six long years, pushing up GP costs and forcing more people into emergency departments. They knocked back proposals for cheaper medicines when they were in office, keeping prices higher for patients. They cut funding for hospitals and, instead of fixing them, picked fights with the states. Back in my part of the world, they also closed GP Access After Hours services. This was the only access to bulk-billing that many people had in our region.

The difference is crystal clear: Labor strengthens Medicare and makes medicines cheaper; the Liberals and the National Party weakened Medicare and let prices soar. So let's be clear: when you reduce the cost of common medicines like cholesterol tablets, antibiotics, blood pressure meds and antidepressants, you're delivering relief where people actually feel it. This isn't about a one-off bonus or a token gesture; it's money back in people's pockets every single month. And for concession card holders, pensioners, veterans and people doing it tough, that relief is locked in for years. Every dollar matters, especially now, and this bill delivers real, practical help.

I want to take a moment to shout out to the incredible pharmacists and pharmacy teams that we have in Newcastle. They are so much more than dispensers of medicines. These are people who know their communities inside out. They know their customers by name. They notice when someone seems a little off and they check in. They go that extra mile for people who might be struggling, because, for so many, the local pharmacy is the most accessible point of care. In suburbs right across Newcastle, our pharmacies are community health hubs. They're where people go for advice, for their flu shots, for wound care, for emergency contraception and for support in managing chronic conditions.

For some people, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances, the pharmacy might be the only face-to-face health professional they see regularly, and let's not forget the role they played during the pandemic. They kept doors open, provided vaccines, answered questions and calmed fears. They were a lifeline then, and they continue to be so now. So when we talk about cheaper medicines, remember that these are the people who will be administering this important measure. Cheaper medicines only work if there's a trusted pharmacist there to provide them, and in Newcastle we are so lucky to have some of the very best.
This bill is also part of a bigger picture—a vision for a health system that is accessible so you don't miss out on the care because of cost, sustainable so GPs, pharmacists, nurses and hospitals can keep delivering world-class care for generations to come and affordable so people can afford to stay healthy. Labor believes in Medicare as the cornerstone of universal health care, and this bill strengthens that foundation. We're not just responding to the immediate cost-of-living crisis, although that is critical; we're also laying the groundwork for a future where people can get the care they need when they need it without worrying about the bill. That's what Labor governments do. We strengthen Medicare, we make medicines cheaper and we make the health system fairer for everyone.

To my colleagues across the chamber: this is a moment to put politics aside and back something in to make a tangible difference in every single electorate. This bill delivers relief for families and pensioners under cost-of-living pressures. It delivers health outcomes that keep people well and out of hospital. It delivers a stronger, fairer Medicare for the future. This isn't a symbolic vote. This isn't about securing political points. It's about people and about good health outcomes for our communities everywhere.

There are 150 of us here in this lower house, representing millions of Australians, and I am pretty certain there would not be one seat in this chamber that didn't have constituents who want to see affordable, reliable access to high-quality health care under the Medicare system—people who are right now standing at the pharmacy counter, wondering if they can afford every script their doctor has prescribed. They're the people we're trying to help now—people who are choosing between a blood pressure tablet and a bag of groceries, people who are cutting their tablets in half, hoping it will get them through to the next payday. That's the reality for far too many Australians, and every one of us in this chamber has the power to change that reality for the better today.

Health should never be a luxury. It should never depend on the size of your pay packet or the postcode where you live. It should be universal, affordable and accessible for every person who calls Australia home. That's what this bill is about. It's about saying clearly, 'Your health matters more than profits, more than politics, more than anything else.

Let me say this again: cheaper medicines are not just good policy; they're good economics. Keeping people well keeps them out of hospital. It keeps people at work. It keeps families strong. It takes pressure off an already stretched health system. More importantly, it's the right course of action. A government is ultimately judged by how well it helps those who need a hand, and this bill does exactly that. It makes life that little bit easier. It makes life that bit fairer. It makes life healthier.

To those opposite I say: do not block this. Do not delay this. Do not play politics with people's health. Support this bill. Stand with families doing it tough. Stand with the pensioners and veterans. Stand with every Australian who deserves access to the medicines they need without breaking the bank. That is why I'm proud to support this legislation. It's Labor values in action—fairness, compassion and practical help when people need it most.