Trish Cook
Bullwinkel · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Primary care, urgent care and emergency care—patients with non-life threatening urgent conditions can be treated quickly and efficiently in the community close to where they live. This is what strong primary care and urgent care systems look like. They are accessible, responsive and centred on the needs of patients.”
“There are now over 3,800 Medicare bulk-billing practices nationwide, and more than 1,400 of these were previously mixed-billing clinics—so 1,400 have converted to bulk-billing all patients all of the time. Importantly, about 97 per cent of Australians now live within a 20-minute drive of a bulk-billing practice.”
“They're also relieving pressure on GP practices themselves. As a GP nurse, I know that when something urgent walks through the door, of course the scheduled patients, both on my lists and the doctor's lists, will need to wait so that the urgent case is attended to.”
“Since Labor strengthened Medicare bulk-billing and introduced additional incentives for GPs, we have seen five more GP practices in my electorate of Bullwinkel take up bulk-billing. That is five more practices, and all the doctors within those practices, making the choice to put patients first and ensure care is accessible to everyone.”
“This bill has established a clear and enduring legislative framework for Commonwealth primary care incentive payment programs, including the Medicare Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program. These programs are a vital part of how we support access, affordability and quality in our health system.”
“Today I rise in strong support of the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026. As federal member for Bullwinkel and as somebody that worked on the frontline as a nurse for decades, I know firsthand just how important a strong, accessible primary care system is to the health and wellbeing of our communi…”
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“Imagine if we didn't have super. What a burden that would be on our tax dollar. Every step of the way, the coalition has fought this. They fought the 12 per cent guarantee. They want people to raid their retirement savings, their super savings, for home deposits, which would drive up house prices and leave people destitute in their old age. They will stand up in this debate and cry 'class war' because we are asking people with $10 million in super to pay a bit more in tax. But they're silent about the cleaners and the retail workers, who haven't had a fair go from the super tax system for years. As a former business owner, I know that a good leader looks at the long term. You don't just look at the next quarter; you look at the next decade. These bills are long-term leadership.”
“We know that the current super system has a glaring gender gap. Because women often work part time or take significant breaks to care for children or ageing parents, they retire with significantly less super than men. Around 60 per cent of the people who will benefit from the LISTO payment boost are women. We're talking about 750,000 women across Australia who will now have a fairer tax concession on their super contributions. This works hand in hand with our decision to pay super on paid parental leave and our move towards payday super. We're making sure that the super system finally works for the people who do the most important work in our society: the carers and the parents. Labor has built the superannuation system. We built it because we believe that the wealth of this nation should belong to the people who created it.”
“We are increasing the maximum payment from $500 to $810 and lifting the eligibility threshold from $37,000 to $45,000. We have over 100,000 sales assistants, over 50,000 administration workers and over 50,000 aged carers and disability carers in the nation who will benefit. These are the people that I worked alongside in the health system. These are the people who keep our local shops running in Forrestfield. For a part-time worker in Mundaring earning $40,000 a year, this boost, combined with other reforms, could mean an extra $15,000 in their account by the time they retire. We all know the value of compounding income and savings. That's the difference between a retirement spent counting every cent and a retirement spent with dignity. As a former midwife, I've spent my life advocating for women.”
“We are using established income tax concepts to reflect realised gains, and we're ensuring that all members of the defined benefit schemes are treated in a commensurate fashion. This isn't about penalising success. It's about recognising that a $10 million superannuation balance is no longer about retirement; it's a tax advantaged wealth management vehicle. By trimming the concessions at the very top, we secure the system for everyone else. While the opposition wants to focus on the top half a percent, I'd rather focus on the 1.3 million Australians who will benefit from schedule 4 of this bill. We are boosting the low income superannuation tax offset, or LISTO. This is a game changer for low-income workers in Bullwinkel, and it's good to hear that the opposition support this component.”
“For the other 99.5 per cent of my constituents—the teachers, truckies, retail workers and farmers—their tax treatment will remain exactly the same. Their earnings correspond to balances below $3 million and will continue to be taxed at the concessional rate of 15 per cent. For those with balances between $3 million and $10 million, the tax rate will be up to 30 per cent. For the very small group—less than one per cent of Australians—with balances above $10 million, the rate will go further and be increased to 40 per cent. As a former business owner, I know the importance of certainty. That's why Labor has listened to feedback over the last two years, to get the design right, and we have made amendments. We have indexed the $3 million to $10 million thresholds to the transfer balance cap.”
“When I talk to small-business owners in York, they understand that you can't keep a system running if the concessions are being swallowed up by a tiny fraction of the population at the expense of everyone else. Around 38 per cent of super earnings concessions go to the top 10 per cent of income earners. That isn't a fair go. That's a structural imbalance that we have a responsibility to fix. Schedules 1 to 3 of this bill implement the government's policy to better target tax concessions for individuals with superannuation balances exceeding $3 million. So let's be very clear about who this affects. The policy is expected to affect less than half a per cent of Australians. In Bullwinkel, that's a handful of people.”
“The electorate of Bullwinkel is a microcosm of the Australian economy. We have the bustling suburban centres of Forrestfield and High Wycombe, where young families are working hard to get ahead. We have the hills communities of Kalamunda and Mundaring, filled with professionals and healthcare workers. And we have the historic heart of the wheat belt in Northam and York, where our farmers and regional business owners keep the state moving. In every one of these towns, people value fairness. They don't mind people being successful. In fact, they celebrate it. But they do expect the system to be balanced. Currently, our superannuation tax concessions cost the budget more than $60 billion per year. To put that in perspective, by the 2040s, these tax breaks will cost the Australian taxpayer more than the entire age pension.”
“I know what it's like to sit at a kitchen table late at night looking at the books, making sure that the BAS is lodged and ensuring that my staff are fully and properly paid and that their super is covered. I understand the pressure of meeting a payroll and the pride of building something from the ground up. When I look at this bill, I look at it through both those lenses—worker and employer. I see it as a nurse who wants a dignified retirement for my patients, and I see it as a former business owner who knows that every dollar in a budget, whether it's a small-business budget or a Commonwealth budget, must be spent where it does the most good. This bill is about ensuring our superannuation system remains the envy of the world, making it stronger, fairer and, most importantly, sustainable for the long haul.”
“I rise today to speak in strong support of the Superannuation (Building a Stronger and Fairer Super System) Imposition Bill 2026. In this place, we often talk in billions of dollars and percentages of GDP. But, for the people that I represent in Bullwinkel, those numbers are secondary to a much simpler question: can I afford to retire? My life before politics was shaped by two very demanding and very different worlds. As many in this House know, I spent decades as a registered nurse and midwife, and I've seen and experienced the physical toll that 40 years of labour takes on a person. But I also spent a decade concurrently during that time as a small-business owner.”
“I remember the stories from the Wooroloo fires in 2021, where the ability to receive an emergency alert and call a loved one was the difference between panic and safety. And I know the frustration of the one-bar signal that drops out just when you need it most. This is a landmark reform. It is a bold step forward that embraces the future and puts people first, and I'm immensely proud to support this legislation. I'm proud to be part of the government that is finally delivering the connectivity that regional Australia deserves, because Labor understands the regions. I commend this bill to the House.”
“By expanding mobile coverage, we are supporting the growth of our regional economies and ensuring that they can compete in the 21st century. UOMO also builds on our other major investments. We have invested in the NBN to ensure faster, reliable internet for homes and businesses. We have focused on First Nations digital inclusion to ensure our Indigenous communities are not left behind. We have worked tirelessly to strengthen the triple 0 framework. This bill is the missing piece of that puzzle. Our vision is absolutely clear: making Australia the most connected continent in the world. To the people I represent in Bullwinkel: I know how much this matters to you. I have sat in your kitchens in Mundaring and walked through the paddocks in York. I have spoken to firefighters at Darlington and Glen Forrest.”
“If industry does not deliver, the government now has a framework to ensure that they do. This is a critical part of our comprehensive work to reduce the digital divide. In Bullwinkel, the digital divide is a daily reality. For businesses in Chidlow, it's the difference between being able to operate efficiently and having to struggle with basic connectivity. It's about a student in Northam having the same educational opportunities as a student in Perth. Improving connectivity isn't just about safety; it's about productivity and economic growth. Our ag sector in the Avon Valley is becoming increasingly high-tech. Farmers are using data driven insights to manage their crops and livestock. But you can't use ag tech without a connection.”
“This provides a clear timeframe while allowing the flexibility to adjust the date to ensure the market is ready. Make no mistake: this timing, whilst challenging, provides a clear signal to the market. Equitable and accessible outdoor mobile coverage is a priority for this government, and we want these services to be available as soon as possible. We aren't sitting around waiting for the digital divide to fix itself; we are acting early to ensure Australia is at the forefront of this technological revolution. This legislation brings mobile services into the longstanding universal services regime. For too long this regime only covered the legacy copper-based voice services. By updating this framework we are creating a system that can protect consumers and ensure mobile services are delivered in the national interest.”
“It's about reaching the areas where, despite years of government and industry co-investment, it simply hasn't been feasible to build a physical tower due to the terrain or the sheer distance. D2D is an emerging technology. It is being rolled out right now in Australia and across the globe. Some may say that we should wait until it's fully mature before we legislate, but this government refuses to wait. We refuse to let regional Australians wait for the market to decide when they are worth the investment. We are legislating now to ensure this critical technology is deployed as widely and quickly as possible so that all Australians can benefit from this innovation. Given the emerging nature of D2D technology, this bill sets a default date for the commencement of the UOMO of 1 December 2027.”
“It is anticipated that these operators will meet this obligation via a combination of our existing terrestrial infrastructure and the incredible new direct-to-device, or D2D, technology, which is available from the LEOs, the low-Earth-orbit satellites. This is the frontier of telecommunications. By using satellites that orbit much closer to the Earth than traditional ones, we can enable a standard mobile phone to connect directly to space. This bypasses the need for a physical tower in every valley and on every hill, which certainly doesn't work for Bullwinkel. This reform is not about replacing traditional mobile phone coverage. In places like Gosnells, High Wycombe or Forrestfield we still need our towers and our high-speed 5G to support suburban growth. UOMO is about expanding the safety net.”
“We have heard, and the message is clear, that the current universal services framework is out of date. It is designed for a time when the internet was a novelty and mobile phones were the size of bricks—remember that? It does not cover the critical form of connectivity that modern Australians actually use. This legislation will require the mobile network operators Telstra, TPG and Optus to provide universal baseline outdoor mobile coverage where reasonably possible. We're setting a national standard. We're saying that, as a country, we will no longer accept that being out of range is just an inevitable part of living outside a capital city or being an MP for a regional area.”
“We are moving from a system based on where we can afford to build a tower to a system based on where a person has a clear line of sight to the sky above them. This is a profound shift. Whether you're facing a natural disaster—and in the Perth Hills and the Avon Valley we know the threat of bushfires all too well—or whether you're broken down on a remote stretch of the Great Eastern Highway, injured on a farm in Beverley or lost in the bushland behind Mundaring Weir or Roleystone, under UOMO there will be outdoor mobile coverage nearly anywhere that you can look up and see the sky. The Albanese government has heard from stakeholders, from local councils, from emergency service volunteers—like the firefighters in Darlington—and from regional businesses about the importance of mobile services.”
“But if someone takes a fall or suffers a medical emergency on a remote part of these trails, that 99 per cent phone coverage statistic is of little comfort. What matters is the one per cent of the landmass that they're standing on. In those moments, a mobile black spot isn't just a minor annoyance for someone trying to check their emails; it's a life-threatening barrier to emergency services. Improving coverage is a key concern for communities across Bullwinkel, and it's a priority for our government. The universal outdoor mobile obligation, or UOMO, will provide the underlying connectivity needed to support expanded triple zero access and support public safety outcomes in these areas. UOMO means that outdoor coverage will be accessible almost anywhere in Australia where people can see the sky.”
“As a remote area nurse for four decades, I have seen firsthand the reality of what happens when communication fails or if it is absent. I have seen the difference between a positive outcome and a tragedy, and so often that difference is the speed of the emergency response. When a farmer is working alone in a paddock near York and has an accident, they shouldn't have to hope that someone will find them in due course. They should have the security of knowing that they can reach out for help. I think of the hikers exploring the Bibbulmun Track or the families cycling The Railway Reserves Heritage Trail. These are some of the jewels of the Perth Hills that brings tourism from all over the world, bringing life to our region.”
“Importantly, it is the critical infrastructure we use to seek help in an emergency. Traditional mobile coverage is currently provided in areas where about 99 per cent of Australians work and live, and on paper that sounds like a near-perfect success story, but, for the people of Western Australia and specifically those in my electorate of Bullwinkel, that remaining one per cent of the population represents a massive portion of our geography. In fact, traditional mobile coverage currently covers only one-third of Australia's landmass. Two-thirds of our continent is currently a no-go zone for standard mobile communication. This means that, in the vast majority of our country, it is currently impossible to make a triple zero call using traditional mobile services.”
“We have moved into a digital age where the phone in your pocket is your office, your bank, your map and, most crucially, your lifeline. Yet our legislation has lagged behind our reality, and this bill addresses that. In Bullwinkel, as across Australia, we rely on telecommunications connectivity to support our families, our businesses and our communities. Connectivity is the bridge that allows a boutique cidermaker in the suburb of Carmel to reach global markets through social media and ecommerce. It's what allows a parent in Gidgegannup to check in on their children after school while they are still at work an hour away in the city. It allows our seniors in Northam to stay in touch with their grandkids, bridging the distance that often separates families in our vast state of Western Australia.”
“Whether you're a commuter navigating the morning rush on Roe Highway, a small-business owner in Mundaring or a wheat belt farmer in the far reaches of the Avon Valley, there is one common thread that binds us all—the absolute necessity of staying connected. We live in a world where digital connectivity is no longer a luxury; it is a basic utility, as essential as water or electricity. This bill is a monumental step towards making that a reality for every person in every corner of our nation. This government believes that every Australian should have access to baseline mobile voice and text services across the entire country. For too long, our national policy has treated universal service as a relic of the Copper Age. For decades, the focus was on the traditional landline, the fixed phone in the hallway, but the world has moved on.”
“Bullwinkel is an electorate named after Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel, a woman whose name is synonymous with extraordinary courage, resilience and an unwavering dedication to her fellow Australians. As a nurse myself for over four decades, I feel a deep connection to her legacy. She was a woman who understood that, in the most dire of circumstances, care and connection are what sustain us. It is in the same spirit of service and care that I approach my duties in this place. It is in that spirit that I speak to this legislation today, because, at its heart, this bill is about care and connection. It's about ensuring that no Australian is left behind or left alone when they most need help. The Albanese government is committed to keeping Australians connected. This isn't just a slogan; it's the core principle of our policy agenda.”
“Today I rise to speak in strong support of the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025. As the inaugural member for the new electorate of Bullwinkel, it's a profound honour to stand here today and advocate for a piece of legislation that will fundamentally change the lives of my constituents. My electorate is a vibrant, diverse and sprawling part of Western Australia. It is an electorate that stretches from the bustling, growing outer-suburb hubs of Forrestfield, Stratton, Gosnells and High Wycombe, where young families are building their futures, to the historic winding roads of the Kalamunda hills, Roleystone, Mundaring and further out into the expansive golden agricultural heartlands of York, Northam, Toodyay and Beverley.”
“It is a fundamental right, and, by opening the Mundaring Medicare urgent care clinic and driving up bulk-billing rates, we're ensuring that when somebody in Bullwinkel is sick or injured, they can get the care that they need when they need it right where they live. I look forward to the opening of the Mundaring urgent care clinic at the end of the month and to continuing to strengthen Medicare for every resident.”
“Even more significantly, because of our strategic placement of services and support for local GPS, 96 per cent of the Australian population now lives within a 20-minute drive of a registered Medicare bulk-billing practice. In a country as vast as ours, that is a monumental achievement for equity and access to health care. But there is more to do. In Bullwinkel, we're seeing the local impact of these reforms right now. Since our government announced the record investment into Medicare, we have had four additional local practices in our electorate step up and become bulk-billing practices. There are four more places where residents can walk in and know that their health and not their bank balance is the priority. Health care should never be a luxury.”
“It will be open later this month and it will be fully bulk-billed—all you need is your Medicare card—with no out-of-pocket costs, no gap fees, extended hours open seven days a week, including evenings, and walk-in access. No appointment or referral will be necessary for those urgent but non-life-threatening moments. Whether it's a child with a high fever on a Saturday night or a do-it-yourself injury on a Sunday afternoon, help will be right there in Mundaring with X-ray facilities. This isn't just a win for Mundaring. It's all part of the Albanese Labor government's historic mission to repair the damage done to Medicare over the last decade. New national figures released this week show that our investment is working. The national non-referred attendance rate, the bulk-billing rate, is now 81 per cent.”
“Today I rise to share some fantastic news for the people of Bullwinkel, particularly in those suburbs in the Perth Hills and surrounding communities. At the end of this month we will officially open the doors to the new Mundaring Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. This is a project that I've championed since my first day as a candidate, and seeing it come to fruition is a proud moment for us all and my community. Located at the Mundaring GP Super Clinic on Mundaring Weir Road, this facility is going to be a game changer. For too long families have had to drive right down the hill to the Midland Hospital for non-threatening emergencies, such as stitches or X-rays, and wait for hours at the emergency department. Having this in Mundaring will really suit their needs.”
“He ran two kilometres to find a phone, and, with maturity far beyond his years, he directed emergency services to his mother; his brother, Beau; and his sister, Grace. Because of Austin's grit and his refusal to give up, four lives were saved that night. We often talk about the resilience of the next generation. Well, here we have it. Austin Appleby is the living embodiment of resilience. He is a hero in every sense of the word, and I know that the whole House joins me in commending him for his bravery and wishing the Appleby family a peaceful recovery.”
“I rise today to pay tribute to a young man from my electorate of Bullwinkel who I describe as 'superhuman'. Recently, while on a holiday in our beautiful south-west, the Appleby family found themselves in a terrible oceanic nightmare. Pushed kilometres out to sea in a kayak and inflatable paddle board by fierce offshore winds, they drifted into the open ocean. As night approached, they were in a race against time, and it was in this moment of crisis that 13-year-old Austin Appleby showed his courage. At his own mother's request, a request she describes as the hardest decision of her life, Austin set out alone to save his family. He paddled and swam for four gruelling hours. When he finally hit the sand at Quindalup Beach, he didn't collapse; he ran.”
“I'm proud to be its voice in this place, and I look forward to seeing our new Medicare urgent care clinic open its doors to help our residents very soon. House adjourned at 20:00”
“Shirley, congratulations on this well-deserved honour. Your dedication to saving lives and preventing disability through your medical research and practice is an inspiration to us all. I would also like to formally congratulate Major Don Cruden OAM, for his services to our veterans; the Hon. Raymond Halligan OAM, for his service to parliament and the people; Mrs Kathleen Lovelock OAM, for her leadership in the beef cattle industry; and Mr Barry Nicholls OAM, for his tireless work in community sport. I also want to acknowledge meritorious award winners Daryl Clohessy AFSM, Senior Constable Emma Wright APM and Mark Geary ESM. They represent the very best of our emergency and police services. From the consultation rooms in our hospitals to the high-tech labs of our researchers, Bullwinkel is a community that cares and is leading the way.”
“I want to make special mention of someone who is not only a constituent and recipient of an award, but someone I'm lucky enough to call a neighbour as she lives just up the road, Professor Shirley Jansen AM. Shirley was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for her monumental service to vascular surgery. As a clinician and researcher, she is doing truly groundbreaking work. She currently leads research into the world-first pharmaceutical therapeutic trials aimed at treating atherosclerosis by infusions. Effectively, she's looking for a way to clear the plaque from the artery walls—potentially a cure for peripheral artery disease. Her work at Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital is a testament to the world-class innovation that is happening right here in our own Australian backyard.”
“For the people of Bullwinkel this is a massive win. We know that too often families end up in the emergency department at Northam or Midland hospitals for things like minor fractures, infections and stitches when they could attend an urgent care clinic. Families will now have a dedicated place to go for urgent care, free of hip-pocket pressures, under Medicare. This doesn't just help the patients; it takes the pressure off busy emergency departments and also busy general practitioners. Our community is defined by more than its services; it's defined by our people. On 26 January we celebrated Australia Day honours, and Bullwinkel was exceptionally well represented.”
“For me, these visits are more than just formalities; they're an opportunity to listen to my former colleagues—the nurses, the doctors and the support staff—who are the backbone of our healthcare community. We spent some time discussing the unique pressures facing our hospitals, our workforces and the needs of our ageing population in the hills and beyond. Hearing their firsthand accounts is vital for the work that we do here in Canberra. Knowing their challenges ensures that our federal health policy translates into real-world relief for those on the ground. I'm also incredibly proud to update the House on a project very close to my heart. I recently visited the site of the future Mundaring Medicare urgent care clinic, and I can confirm it will be fully operational by the end of this month.”
“It's an honour to stand here today and speak about the incredible community that I represent in the electorate of Bullwinkel. As many of you know, my journey to this place began as a nurse and a midwife. Those decades on the front lines of our healthcare system shaped my view of the world, one rooted in pragmatism, compassion and a simple belief that everyone deserves access to quality care when they need it most. This past month, I've been out and about in my electorate talking to nurses and healthcare workers on the front line. I had the pleasure of touring with WA state health minister, Meredith Hammat, in our region. We visited Northam Regional Hospital, which is in the western Wheatbelt, and Kalamunda Hospital, which is a specialist palliative care hospital in the Perth hills.”
“The Albanese government is committed to supporting our health workforce. As I said at the start, it's not just strengthening Medicare; it is doing the hard legislative work to make it accessible for all Australians. When I look back on my time in my career, this legislation would have been very helpful. Today, I'm proud to be part of the government that's delivering this reform. I commend this bill to the House.”
“This bill is a win for families in Bullwinkel and across Australia, particularly those in regional and rural Australia, who deserve every available option to access their health care efficiently. It is about adding another layer of support to our primary healthcare network and ensuring that, wherever you are—be it in a suburban clinic or remote area—the system is working for you and that you do not have to wait for a doctor to visit, on occasions which are sensible and appropriate. It is a win for the nurse who knows that their patient's needs intimately and can now provide a more seamless transition of care, and it is a win for a more sustainable multidisciplinary health system where every professional—doctor, nurse and allied health worker—is empowered to work at the top of their training.”
“As a nurse, I know that my nursing registration is my most valuable asset, I belong to one of the most trusted professions in the country, and I adhere to strict clinical guidelines. The endorsement process ensures that only those with the right clinical expertise and education will be writing these scripts. It is a controlled, safe and logical extension of the work that nurses already do every single day to support their patients and their medical colleagues. We are delivering on a commitment. This is a fundamental election promise made by the Albanese government to prioritise the scope-of-practice reforms for nurses and midwives to deliver real, tangible benefits to Australian patients.”
“We are saying to consumers of the health system, 'Your health is too important to wait for a clerical hurdle, especially when we have trained experienced nurses who are available to help and present.' I want to be clear for those that might have questions about this transition. This reform is about professional evolution, not substitution. This is about recognising the high level of clinical expertise that already exists within our nursing ranks and provides a formal, regulated pathway to use it. The first cohort of these prescribers is expected to finish their specialised education and receive their endorsements by July 2026. These are professional, well-credentialed nurses who have completed rigorous postgraduate-level nursing training.”
“I also know the incredible efficiency and safety that comes when a highly trained nurse is empowered to use the full extent of their skills. When I was in these remote area clinics, I wasn't acting as a doctor; I was acting as a highly specialised nurse, delivering the right care at the right time because someone needed it. This bill takes the spirit of flexibility and clinical excellence and brings it into the 21st century for all Australians. It recognises that the skills that I used in the desert and the bush are skills that should be harnessed across our entire health system to make it more resilient. By allowing designated registered nurse prescribers to operate within their scope after having additional education, we are removing the middleman delay.”
“Many of those communities, of course, exist, and some are regional and remote communities even in my seat of Bullwinkel. To serve those communities, I underwent intensive and additional training to expand my scope of practice. I wasn't just monitoring vitals and taking clinical assessments; I was actually taking X-rays. I was in the darkroom, developing those X-rays. I was taking bloods, making referrals and, at times, prescribing essential medications that were needed to stabilise patients before they could see a doctor or be evacuated. I know what it's like to carry the weight of that responsibility and work within your scope of practice but still give the care that only you can give in a situation like that.”
“We are the ones who stay and provide ongoing support to patients long after the medical consultation has finished. We are the ones who monitor the vitals in the quiet hours of the night and notice the subtle changes. And of course we are the ones in primary health care and rural and remote areas where we are, at times, the only clinician for hundreds of kilometres. We are the ones who see with heartbreaking clarity the gaps in the patient's journey, the moments where a delay in the signature or a script leads to an increase in pain or a decline of their health. This bill is about closing those gaps. I want to share a little bit of my history to illustrate why this bill is so vital. Earlier in my career as a remote area nurse, I didn't have the luxury of 24-hour imaging departments or a local pharmacy just at the end of the road.”
“We have highly trained professional nurses, pharmacists and allied healthcare workers who are restricted by legacy regulations that no longer match their modern education. My own experience, of course, before I entered this place was as a remote-area nurse. My office wasn't a suite in parliament; it was the corridors of hospitals, it was bush clinics and, in fact, at times it was in the bush itself. I stand here not just as the member for Bullwinkel but as a registered nurse and as the 10th nurse to be elected to parliament. I'm proud to be part of this government that's delivering this reform. I've seen how multidisciplinary teams work best when the hierarchy is replaced by a circle of care. Anyone who has worn the nursing uniform knows that nursing is the backbone of the Australian healthcare system.”
“This means that they can prescribe certain medications under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, ensuring that patients get their Commonwealth subsidy regardless of whether a doctor or an endorsed nurse writes the script. The second piece of legislation is the Health Insurance Act 1973. We are ensuring integrity and safety by including nurses in the Professional Services Review. It's a scheme that ensures that prescribing habits are reviewed and held to the highest professional standards, just as we do with medical doctors. This bill isn't just a technical amendment; it is a structural renovation of Medicare and it is fit for the 21st century. But I note that this reform doesn't exist in a vacuum. For too long, Australia has had a siloed approach to healthcare.”
“It dismisses the extensive consultation that was done with stakeholders, including the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian Medical Association, palliative care nurses of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives, and the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association. This bill is backed by extensive consultation and real-world experience. It meets the desperate need for better access to care, particularly in primary care and aged-care services. This bill makes two critical amendments to the legislation. One is the National Health Act 1953. We are amending this to allow registered nurses endorsed against a strict registration standard to be authorised prescribers.”
“The Nurses and Midwifery Board registration standard, of course, also has a standard for endorsement for scheduled medications. The designated registered nurse prescriber came into effect in September 2025. The standard describes the necessary qualifications that a registered nurse must demonstrate when applying to the Nurses and Midwifery Board to attain and retain the endorsement for scheduled medications. I note the Nationals' view earlier today regarding opposition to this bill due to the system being untested. Sadly, this is an uninformed view of the real world.”
“It reduces the bottleneck at the GP's door and it allows our doctors to focus on the most complex, high-needs cases while endorsed nurses can manage stable chronic conditions within a clear framework. In December 2024, Commonwealth, state and territory health ministers approved a new registration standard. It was called 'Endorsement for scheduled medicines—designated registered nurse prescriber' and of course it is under the law which governs nurses and midwives, the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law 2009. The first cohort of registered nurses is expected to complete their education, receive endorsement and start prescribing medicines from July this year, 2026, and this bill aligns with that new registration standard.”
“Since 2017, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the Australian Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer have undertaken extensive research and consultation about the potential for registered nurses to contribute to improving health outcomes for the Australian community by supporting nurses and midwives to work at the full scope of their practice. Unleashing the potential of a health workforce scope of practice review was delivered to the government on 30 October 2024 after 12 months of consultation and research led by independent researcher Professor Mark McCormack. The review was clear. When health professionals work at the top of their scope, the entire system breathes more easily.”
“I rise today to speak in strong support of the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025. The Albanese Labor government is committed to supporting and empowering our health workforce. We are not just talking about strengthening Medicare; we are also doing the hard legislative work and structural reform to make health care more accessible for every Australian, and this bill is one piece of the structural reform puzzle in the healthcare sector. This bill addresses the scope of practice reforms for nurses and midwives. It is legislation that is catching up with healthcare demand and practice and it is backed by evidence and consultation.”