Anne Stanley
Werriwa · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Time today does not permit me to speak on the other parts of our health system, particularly the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and this government's support for our public hospitals across the country, but suffice it to say that, along with the pillar of bulk-billing, the picture looks wonderful.”
“Previously, more than 1,400 of these were mixed billing practices. The upshot of this means that approximately 97 per cent of the population is now within a 20-minute drive of a bulk-billing practice.”
“My parents and our country were excited for Medibank; there would be no more bankruptcy to stay healthy. The disdain for the universal healthcare system from those opposite was established from the outset, as far back as 1975.”
“Indeed, Medicare and the PBS are among the most trusted federal public services in the country. Medicare is central to Labor's philosophy and DNA. We will always defend it and strengthen it. To that end, the matter before us today is yet another step in the Medicare story.”
“By introducing these amendments, the government will strengthen the way it provides financial incentives to primary care providers and ensure the integrity of existing and future incentive programs.”
“Since the urgent care clinic network commenced in 2023, there have been more than 623,000 bulk-billed visits in New South Wales. In Werriwa, the newly opened urgent care clinic in Austral has seen thousands of patients, which both helps those who need to see a GP and takes the pressure off our stretched public hospitals.”
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“Amendments made by the bill will enable the Chief Executive Medicare to approve the use of a computer program to make appropriate non-discretionary decisions to allocate provider numbers. Any decision to refuse a provider number would not be made by the computer program but be reviewed by a human service officer working at Services Australia. The bill will validate Medicare provider numbers that were previously issued by computer programs operated by Services Australia or by its predecessor, the Department of Human Services. The bill will also streamline the application processes for health practitioners, enabling them to receive a Medicare provider number more quickly and start providing health services sooner.”
“Firstly, the bill supports recommendation 2 of the independent review of Australia's regulatory settings relating to overseas health practitioners, which is to automate and streamline the issuance of Medicare provider numbers. It will amend the Health Insurance Act 1973 to establish the function of allocating Medicare numbers in the Health Insurance Act. It also establishes a power for the Chief Executive Medicare to approve computer programs to issue Medicare provider numbers. The bill will validate Medicare provider numbers previously issued by automation and any that were declined. Medicare provider numbers are currently allocated by the Chief Executive Medicare as one of their functions under the Human Services (Medicare) Act 1973.”
“I rise to make my contribution to the Health Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 1) Bill 2025. The bill seeks to accomplish a wide range of outcomes. It supports the automation of Medicare provider numbers. It realigns the registration and claim-processing system for private health insurance rebates. It modernises the assignment of Medicare benefits for bulked-billed and simplified billing. It ensures the consequences of breaching a condition and/or withdrawal from the Bonded Medical Program are fairly balanced. And it allows all work completed by a Bonded Medical Program participant in good faith, consistent with the program's objectives, to be counted towards their return-of-service obligation. The bill addresses several matters that will ensure better administration and delivery of key government systems and programs.”
“The Albanese Labor government has been working to improve our regulators, from strengthening the financial systems regulator to establishing the National Anti-Corruption Commission. We believe, in this country, that it doesn't matter how big you are or what wealth and power you have—no-one is exempt from consequences, no-one is above right or wrong, and no-one is above the law. I commend the bill to the House.”
“This included $7.4 million towards seven projects targeting improved connectivity for First Nations communities in Central Australia from a dedicated Central Australia stream. Two successful rounds of the On the Farm Connectivity Program have provided over $30.4 million in rebates, delivering on thousands of connectivity solutions for primary producers. $20 million has been committed to round 3 of the program, which will open later in 2025. I was glad to have a chance to speak on the legislation earlier this year. I know how important this is to make this system more accountable and to stop companies from ripping people off. For too long, the regulator hasn't been given the necessary tools to make sure the telecommunications companies are doing the right thing.”
“The Albanese Labor government is also delivering a more connected Australia by investing in regional connectivity. The $55 million round 8 of the Mobile Black Spot Program is under assessment. There's been $50 million for Regional Roads Australia Mobile Program Pilot schemes, including $8 million for Victoria and Western Australia and $10 million for New South Wales. The pilot programs will test new and innovative solutions to increase mobile communications coverage on regional highways and major roads. Round 3 of the regional connectivity program awarded over $115 million towards 74 projects that respond to local priorities with the objective of maximising economic opportunities and social benefits for regional, rural and remote communities.”
“This is a measure that will make our laws stronger and more enforceable. Since coming to office, the Albanese Labor government has been working to deliver better telecommunications and to better protect the people who use it. These are just a few things that we've already delivered: a new industry standard requiring telecommunications companies to provide adequate support to consumers experiencing financial hardship and a new industry standard requiring telecommunications companies to support and assist consumers experiencing domestic, sexual and family violence. This came into force on 1 July this year. Earlier this year, the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 was amended to introduce consistent obligations on the telecommunications, banking and digital platform sectors to prevent, detect and disrupt scams.”
“ACMA currently cannot take direct enforcement action for breaches of the industry codes it has registered under part 6 of the Telecommunications Act, no matter how egregious. Under the Telecommunications Act 1997, compliance with the industry codes is initially technically voluntary. For breaches found, ACMA could only direct a provider to comply with the code or issue a formal warning. ACMA can only take stronger enforcement action if the provider continues its noncompliance—that is, if it fails to observe the directions given by ACMA. This isn't good enough. Instead, this bill introduces amendments to part 6 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 to make compliance with the industry codes mandatory and remove the need for ACMA to direct a particular participant to comply with the code in the first instance.”
“This is similar to the energy sector, where the Australian Energy Regulator has the power to exclude energy retailers from the market and has used this power to quickly prevent and stop consumer harm. ACMA's power to exclude carriage service providers from the market is expected to be used as a measure of last resort, with suitable arrangements for review of decisions, avenues for registration and maintenance of connectivity for impacted consumers. This reform means that the carriage service providers that are doing the wrong thing will face consequences, and consumers will be better protected. Furthermore, the bill makes the telecommunications industry codes directly enforceable by ACMA, incentivising industry compliance and enabling the regulator to take swift action to address consumer harm.”
“Establishing a carriage service provider registration scheme will increase the visibility of the market and provide ACMA and other government agencies the ability to educate providers, streamline complaints and compliance processes and create better overall market accountability. The amendments to the Telecommunications Act 1997 will also empower ACMA to stop providers operating in a market who pose unacceptable risks to consumers or who risk significant consumer harm. This will provide a deterrent for significant noncompliance and will increase the trust of consumers in the registered carriage service providers, including new or smaller providers.”
“The bill establishes the carriage service provider registration scheme to increase visibility of providers operating in the market and to stop the operation of dodgy carriage service providers, who pose an unacceptable risk to consumers. A carriage service provider has a broad definition under the Telecommunications Act 1997. However, in simple terms, it's an entity that uses a carrier's facilities to supply telecommunications services like phone or internet to the public. Currently, there's no comprehensive list of providers operating in the market. This hampers ACMA's efforts to proactively educate carriage service providers about their obligations and target compliance and enforcement activity.”
“This penalty framework better aligns with those in other relevant sectors, like energy and banking, and under the Australian Consumer Law. It more adequately reflects the communications market and the varying size of the entities engaged in the market, ranging from small-to-medium businesses to large corporations. It allows the Federal Court to determine the appropriate penalty imposed on an entity for a breach. The bill also expands and clarifies the authority of the Minister for Communications to increase infringement notice penalties so that ACMA can issue for breaches of industry code, industry standards and service provider determinations. This will ensure the regulator remains flexible and responsive and can be adapted over time.”
“The bill amends the Telecommunications Act 1997 to increase the maximum general civil penalty for breaches of industry codes and standards from 25,000 to 30,300 penalty units. This is the equivalent of just under $10 million at the time of drafting, to align with penalties currently available for breaches of service provider determinations. It means that penalties for all these instruments will be aligned to the 30,300 penalty units. The amendment will also strengthen the penalty framework for industry codes, industry standards and service provider determinations to allow for penalties based on the value of benefit obtained from the conduct or turnover of the relevant provider. This will allow for penalties greater than $10 million.”
“This bill strengthens the compliance and enforcement tools available to Australia's telecommunications regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, ACMA. This will enable the regulator to better protect Australian consumers from poor and harmful telecommunication practices. The bill increases the civil penalties that the Federal Court can issue for breaches of industry code and industry standards from $25,000 to nearly $10 million. The bill modernises the civil penalties framework so that the Federal Court has the option to issue fines for regulatory breaches which can include $10 million or three times the benefit gained for regulatory breach or 30 per cent of turnover. Currently, civil penalties for breaches of industry codes and standards are not commensurate with the harm caused or high enough to deter noncompliance.”
“I rise to make my contribution to the debate on the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025. The introduction and passage of the enhancing consumer safeguards bill delivers on the Albanese Labor government's commitment to keeping Australians connected no matter where they live by strengthening telecommunication consumer protections. The enhancing consumer safeguards bill was first introduced into the 47th Parliament in February this year. It passed the House without amendment and was considered by the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills but lapsed when the 47th Parliament was prorogued. It is for this reason we are, again, passing this legislation, because consumer protection is paramount, and I'm happy to speak on the bill again.”
“Margaret is survived by her husband of 63 years, Allan; her children Julie-Ann, Lisa and Linda; and grandchildren. I send my deepest condolences for their loss.”
“Congratulations to all on another successful event. I would also like to recognise the passing of a local resident, Margaret Ann James. Margaret's family lived in the local Lurnea area for a number of generations, and their long-time contributions to the community have been recognised in the naming of the local park, Phillips Park, for her family. The Jameses lived next to Lurnea Public School for all their married life, and I remember walking past their house and being greeted by her so often during my time attending the school. The Jameses were very active volunteers at the local church of the holy trinity at Lurnea and Denham Court Anglican Church, where Mrs James played the organ in services for many years. Margaret was also a part of Busby Liverpool Auxiliary and raised money for Liverpool Hospital and other charitable organisations.”
“Over the last three days, the Hindu community in Liverpool have celebrated the feast of Ganeshotsava. The festival celebrates Lord Ganesha as the god of new beginnings, remover of obstacles and the god of wisdom and intelligence. For the last 30 years, the Friends of India have brought together family and friends to celebrate this event. In 1995, it was much smaller, with only several families coming together at someone's home to go through the rituals and join with friends. In 2025, there were more than 5,000 people present over the three days of the ceremony, dancing, sharing with food and sharing memories with friends. The dance group consisted of all members of the community, from tiny tots to adults, who had been practising for more than three months. The performances were, as always, spectacular.”
“Our community is celebrating a number of milestones this year. Last Friday night, the parish of St Anthony of Padua celebrated 60 years of ministry to the Austral and wider community. Over 350 parishioners, families, clergy and dignitaries joined Father Ronnie Maree, Bishop Tony Percy and Simon Ghantous, the principal of St Anthony of Padua. It was a wonderful celebration of the parish and its volunteers over 60 years. In the last 60 years the church which has baptised 1,172 babies, performed 295 marriages, commended to God with a funeral for 262 souls, confirmed 1,071 people and performed over 31,000 masses. Eight parish priests have served the community, from Father Weaver to Father Ronnie Maree. Congratulations on the milestones, Father Ronnie. I look forward to working with you and the parishioners in the future.”
“Again, if council had presented a history of completing projects on time, on budget and fit for purpose, I might be inclined to agree that that's what they'll deliver. But we have to face reality. We have a council that is before a public inquiry. It's been stated that $5 million has been spent on staff payouts in the last three years. Predictably, we have heard there is an exhaustion of all cash reserves. As a former councillor and long-term resident, I am distressed by the state of so many things in our area—the lack of vision and support to staff to plan and ensure that things get done and that the community get what they are supposed to get. I will never abandon the fight to make sure our community gets its fair share. If others are not willing to help, then they should at least stop getting in the way.”
“This has been 100 per cent funded by the Albanese Labor government, topped up with funding in December 2024, but council has not yet awarded a contract or undertaken the significant utility preworks that need to be done. This means that, even when construction is ready to proceed, it will still be delayed. Council state they expect construction to be finished in early 2027, and I intend to hold them to that. The federal government has also contributed $6 million to the Middleton Drive extension. That was in October 2022. Surprise, surprise—it's also still in planning three years later. The current expectations are that construction will commence later this year and finish next year.”
“Projects like Fifteenth Avenue, Westlink M7 and the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport will support growth and jobs in Western Sydney. There are early works on Fifteenth Avenue to mark the beginning of the upgrade. Over the coming months, consultation with the community will inform planning and design before exhibition. It's a shame that it has taken the federal and state governments stepping in to make it right, but, if council abdicates its responsibilities, the least it could do is complete projects that the federal government has already provided ample funding for. There are still large infrastructure projects that remain in the planning phase, such as the Kurrajong Road intersection upgrade at Beech Road and Lyn Parade, in Prestons.”
“I truly think the saddest thing for all of us who regularly use Fifteenth Avenue is that council's failure isn't even that much of a shock. Fifteenth Avenue had a recurring site of failure after failure by Liverpool council—a failure to plan for the future, a failure to listen to residents raising alarms and a failure to act decisively to stop Fifteenth Avenue from becoming the mess it now is. It should be noted that Fifteenth Avenue was council's responsibility, but it's fallen to the federal and state governments to fix it. We've both contributed to make a $1 billion investment to transform Fifteenth Avenue into a critical transport link. The Albanese government recognises the importance of investing in south-west Sydney.”
“Roundabouts are often referred to as 'traffic-calming devices'. Suffice to say, this was the opposite. It was referred to in some news bulletins as 'the worst roundabout in Australia'. Council attempted to quickly remove the diamond roundabout, but, in their haste, they created further problems. Temporary road works were washed away by heavy rain, leaving a large pothole in the intersection, creating more unnecessary frustration for residents. When questioned on how the debacle was approved, council said that it didn't know—it didn't know who approved it; it didn't know who awarded the contract to build it. Why was it decided that the design should be changed? Nobody knows. How much did it cost ratepayers? They're not sure, although there have been media reports that the debacle cost at least $130,000.”
“When you lose the confidence of the community, it's gone—you create a trust deficit, and it will take a lot of hard work to be taken at your word again. I cannot think of a more prominent example of council's failure that has obliterated trust with the community than the case of the roundabout at the intersection of Fifteenth Avenue and Twenty-Eighth Avenue. I'm sure some people in this room have heard about it. It's a debacle. It failed the basic requirement of being round. Most roundabouts are round; it was diamond shaped. Council decided not to follow the original design, and the residents paid the price. The feature required motorists to take multiple point turns on an already highly congested road. As you can imagine, there is footage all over the internet of the near misses and chaos.”
“When I asked council why it was taking so long to start construction, I was told that time was needed to procure a qualified design consultant and that, after that, a procurement process would be needed to appoint a suitably qualified contractor. On the surface, these sound like reasonable measures, but remember that it was council that asked for this grant and said that it was ready for this project. If I had a degree of trust in this council, I'd take them at their word. However, the truth about trusting governments is not that it's given freely; it's earned. Trust is built up over time. If you say you will do, and you deliver on that, people will be inclined to afford you the benefit of the doubt. The bond is fragile.”
“I'm certain that my continual advocacy has been a nuisance, but I won't change and be silent when my community needs more. That's why I can't be silent when the funding that I've fought for, that my community has given me a mandate to follow through on, is being left unspent. In December last year, the Albanese Labor government announced $61.6 million for 15 projects in the Greater Sydney area. That was through the Thriving Suburbs Program. This secured funding for the construction of Austral local park 22. Austral is a fast-growing suburb in my electorate. It has very few parks that the community can use. Liverpool City Council states that it anticipates on-site construction to begin in February 2026, more than 18 months away.”
“I've spoken in this place about the good working relationship between the federal government and the New South Wales state government, such as finalising Elizabeth Drive West, the new driveway to Western Sydney Airport, as part of the M12 Motorway project, or the M5 westbound upgrade, with 50-50 funding from both governments to cover the cost of a $380 million project. We've understood the benefits of cooperation to deliver the best results for everyone, but, of course, it is still my duty to point out when my area of the world gets taken for granted. As soon as the Albanese Labor government was elected, I went straight to work to secure as much funding as I could. I've been witness to the shocking inactions by previous governments, so I made every representation I could.”
“I rise to discuss my community in the south-west to ensure that our voice is heard in this place. I was disappointed to hear the New South Wales premier comment recently that building additional rail links from the new airport to south-west Sydney were not a priority. It makes sense to have a rail line to the south of the Western Sydney International Airport. This rail line will link Bradfield to Leppington and Macarthur to Kingsford Smith airport. The federal government has already announced a billion dollars to start this process by making land acquisitions for this corridor so that in this future this rail line can be built.”
“That's why we continue to strengthen it, and it's why Australians nationwide put their trust in us at the last election. They saw what we've done and what we've promised to do, and we have runs on the board to make sure people's health is forefront in what we provide. They agreed to join us on this journey, ensuring that we uphold the values that make this country the envy of the world. Australians have entrusted us with protecting Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and with strengthening Medicare and that scheme. Today we take another step on that journey and today we make the system fairer for everyday Australians. Today we provide much-needed relief for our most vulnerable. I commend the bill to the House.”
“And we have announced that as of this week the tenders have been sent out for the Medicare urgent care clinic in Green Valley in my electorate, which was also an election commitment for my community from the Albanese government. I'm so excited that the tenders are out, and we are really hoping to see that clinic open in the very near future. Also in my electorate and all around the country we're rolling out Medicare mental health centres. These will provide support for people who need walk-in help with their mental health at any time. We've invested $174 million to increase the Medicare rebate for common pathology tests for the first time in 24 years as well as adding PCR tests for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses to Medicare. Medicare is one of Labor's greatest achievements.”
“I've spoken to a number of local pharmacists and constituents who've told me time and time again that people have had trouble paying for medicines or that the pharmacists have to give advice about which medicine is the most important. The $12.50 reduction in the co-payment in 2023 and this reduction from 1 January mean that community pharmacists will not be as distressed when they have to give this advice, because the advice won't be as necessary. These changes will make so much of a difference to those who need medicines every week. We've made the massive $6.1 billion investment in Medicare as well. We're rolling out $1.4 billion of investment in Medicare urgent care clinics so that four in five Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a Medicare urgent care clinic.”
“I think it's quite fitting that when you type 'Ben Chifley' into a search engine he's stated as being a train driver and former prime minister of Australia. Mr Chifley, in the great Labor Tradition, put in the work to make systems fairer for those who needed it most. And the Albanese government made it clear to everyone that, for us, health is a priority, plain and simple. It's also a right—that everyone in this country should have good health care—and every effort needs to be made to remove any barriers to accessing medical help. For everyone, health is an important issue. Even if you have good health you may care for loved ones, family, friends or others in the community who will be affected by these changes, so this is something we really should do.”
“The cost will be frozen for pensioners as well, to $7.70, until 2030. And for the first time in 25 years, co-payments are not rising with inflation. This builds on action we've already taken to deliver cost-of-living relief through cheaper medicines. This includes a 25 per cent reduction in the number of scripts that a concessional patient must fill before the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety net kicks in. We've introduced 60-day prescriptions, saving time and money for millions of Australians who have ongoing health conditions. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme began in 1948, and, surprising to no-one, it was under a Labor government, led by Ben Chifley. I fear that most modern history forgets Mr Chifley's achievements and the monumental work he did following World War II.”
“This change—a reduction of $7 a script—will mean $20 more in your pocket each month. For some people who take multiple medicines, this will be even more. The assistant minister just spoke about what it is like to be in a community pharmacy and to deal with mums and dads who need multiple prescriptions filled. There was a time when I was that mum. I had three children who had asthma. This time of year is the worst for them, because they get a cold or they get a secondary bacterial infection and you end up at the pharmacy with three prescriptions each to be filled. They're a little older now, but back then that could have been the best part of $150 or $200. That is a huge amount out of anybody's housekeeping that they're not expecting. Putting money back in people's pockets is just what this legislation will do.”
“This is more than a 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines; this will save Australians over $200 million a year. In fact, Werriwa residents have already saved almost $8 million since the first changes in cost occurred. Making medicines cheaper in a tangible way is how we are helping families with cost-of-living relief. Four out of five Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines will become cheaper because of the $689 million investment by the Albanese government. Pensioners and concession card holders will continue to benefit from the freeze to the cost of their Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines. What we need to remember is that if you need a diabetic medication, an asthma puffer and blood pressure medication, at the moment it can cost over $100 a month.”
“I rise to make my contribution on the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. Well, we've done it again. The Albanese Labor government is making cheaper medicines even cheaper. This bill reduces the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme general patient co-payment from $31.60 to $25 on 1 January next year. This is delivering on the Albanese Labor government's 2025 election commitment. Twenty-five dollars is the lowest Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines have cost in over 20 years, and this is another key cost-of-living measure delivered by our government. We've already delivered some major reductions to the cost of medicines. That was in 2023, when we made the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS. Now our government is going even further.”
“I enjoyed very much watching the member for Leppington being bowled out first ball, but he took to the pitch with a lot of confidence. I want to acknowledge all the organisers involved in putting the event together, particularly Dr Nalia for the generous sponsorship. My community is better off for having people in it who care enough to put themselves out to raise awareness, promote healthy lifestyles and support those affected by diabetes. Congratulations, and thank you to all volunteers for organising the day, which seemed to be a really wonderful success. And a special shout-out to the umpire, who stood all day in the rain.”
“In Australia there are approximately 1.3 million people living with diagnosed diabetes. This represents about five per cent of the population, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. I recently attended a cricket match organised by the Sabeel-e-Mustafa Foundation in support of raising awareness around diabetes, particularly for those in South Asian communities. It's also to encourage people who are newly diagnosed to continue taking part in all parts of their life, especially sport. The match was organised to raise funds to support a diabetic hospital that is currently under construction in Pakistan. The rain didn't dampen the enthusiasm of organisers to still go on with the event. I was joined on the day by state colleagues Charishma Kaliyanda, the member for Liverpool, and Nathan Hagarty, the member for Leppington.”
“This new initiative will provide opportunities for so many more families to be able to purchase their home and join our communities in Werriwa. This is not the only thing this government has done to assist people into housing. We have paused the National Construction Code and are fast-tracking 26,000 homes stuck in the approval process, and that's building more social and affordable housing and also build-to-rent. We've invested over $43 billion in the Homes for Australia plan. This government knows that Australians should be able to purchase their homes and is supporting first home owners to do it.”
“The great Australian dream for many decades has been homeownership. Owning the home you live in ensures your kids have certainty of the school they attend; getting work is easier, and you can hang a picture on the wall without the threat of losing your bond. One of the biggest barriers to homeownership, aside from supply, is being able to save for a deposit. If you can't save a substantial amount, you're also slugged with lenders mortgage insurance. But, from 1 October this year, the Albanese government will ensure that all first home buyers will only need a five per cent deposit, with no mortgage insurance. The loan will be an owner-occupied loan with principal and interest payments from the participating lender for up to 30 years. Werriwa has already seen 170 homeowners access loans under the Home Guarantee Scheme.”
“I spoke with many constituents in my own community who've expressed concerns at the prospect of rising costs. That is why it is good that less than one per cent of tests provided outside hospitals are not bulk-billed, and this investment will ensure that it stays that way. Our priority is to ensure that all Australians have access to affordable health care, and that is why we are continuing to invest in strengthening Medicare. I commend the bill to the House.”
“The bill is in addition to the $509.8 billion of funding for the sector included in this year's budget. This includes a $174 million investment to increase the Medicare rebate for many common pathology tests for the first time in 25 years, as well as adding PCR tests for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses to Medicare. This means that Medicare rebates will rise each year for labour-intensive pathology tests. This will support the pathology workforce and allow funding to flow through to increase wages. Technological advances continue to drive down the cost of providing other pathology tests. As new technologies get cheaper over time, they will become more commonplace. We know Australians want to see pathology services continue to be bulk-billed.”
“The bill will also make consequential amendments to the Health Insurance Act 1973, which prescribes the payment for fees for acceptance and approval of the applications. The bill provides fee relief and reduces the administrative burden on the pathology sector, as well as retaining the requirements for pathology service providers to meet accreditation requirements. These accreditation obligations will remain unchanged to ensure the quality and safety of pathology services provided under Medicare is maintained. The bill applies retrospectively, with measures taking effect on 1 July 2025. The Albanese government has conducted consultation with the pathology sector in preparing the legislation, including the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, Australian Pathology and Public Pathology Australia.”
“The removal of these fees is required to address the findings of the 2022 Health Portfolio Charging Review, which identified the fees charged under the Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) Act 1991 which do not align with the Australian Government Charging Framework (2015). In fact, the fees were found to exceed the administrative cost of processing the applications. This bill will repeal the pathology fees act, which specifies the fees that must be paid for the acceptance and approval of the following three categories of accreditation applications: an approved pathology practitioner, an approved pathology authority and an accredited pathology laboratory. The approval of these applications allows the providers of pathology services to claim Medicare benefits for rendering those services.”
“My community will benefit from both a Medicare urgent care clinic and a mental health centre, which was an election commitment at the last election. When the government's $1.4 billion investment in urgent care clinics is fully implemented, it's estimated that four out of five Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of one of these clinics. I look forward to being at the opening of the clinic in my electorate soon. Medicare has been one of Labor's greatest achievements, and Australians have entrusted us to protect and strengthen it. Today's bill is part of the government's work to do that. The Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) (Repeal) Bill 2025 will implement the Albanese government's budget commitment to remove fees imposed on the pathology sector for the approval of certain categories of accreditation applications.”
“The Albanese Labor government clearly laid out its priorities in the recent election, and it gave our communities a clear choice. One of those priorities was health. We have proudly showed our accomplishments so far and our ambitious plans to make things better. I believe this passion for health resonated with many. Whether you're on your own or have a family, health is always the biggest issue in your life. We are improving all aspects of the health system. Whether it's an occasional doctor's visit or a life-threatening emergency, we want to make sure the system works better for people who use it and need it. We've made a massive $6.1 billion investment in Medicare and started work on the rollout of Medicare urgent care clinics and Medicare mental health centres.”
“No act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted. In my electorate, I see acts of kindness every day. They change people's lives and change our community for the better. They also shape the future. Recently, for the 10th year, I recognised Werriwa volunteers. The recipients represent a wide range of groups. We had, from the Friends of India, Chipathra, Regani, Raganath and Myandra. From Ladies Who Like to Lunch, we had Annette Sulfaro. We also had representatives from the Inner Wheel club, Liverpool Olympic Football Club, Prestons Public School and local JPs—some of our JPs have more than 50 years of volunteer service in our community—and some of our schools as well. It's a great honour to recognise some of the people who make such a difference every day in Werriwa. I thank all the volunteers for what they do for us every day.”
“Each year, on 11 July, newly identified victims are laid to rest in the Srebenica-Potocari Memorial Center. There are still 1,200 who are missing and unidentified. I'm wearing a flower painstakingly crocheted by members of our community and gifted to me by a survivor. Its message is white for innocence, green for hope, with 11 petals for 11 July. It's time for the world to learn the lessons of this horror so that it doesn't continue to happen. Thank you to the community for sharing the commemoration with me.”
“Thirty years ago, on 11 July 1995, 8,372 men and boys were killed. A further 25,000 women, children and old people were displaced. On 23 May 2024 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srbrenica. Werriwa is home to many who came to Australia to find peace and safety. It was a privilege to join members of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian community, my friend the member for Chifley, and other members of parliament for the observation on 11 July this year. Many in the audience were survivors of the events in 1995, and they and their families still bear the scars and strains of what happened then. Today, out of the approximately 8,000 people who are missing, 7,017 have been identified, mostly using DNA.”