Ms CATHERINE KING (Ballarat—Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) (14:09): I thank the member for Canberra for her question. It's an enormous privilege to be a part of a caucus that has been delivering for women, and I acknowledge the member for Canberra's role in that. I, as the Minister representing the Minister for Women, particularly want to thank both her as well as the fantastic Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care. This package would not have happened without her and her incredibly hard work.

This government is building Australia's future. We are strengthening Medicare with an investment of more than half a billion dollars to deliver more choice, lower costs and better health care for women. Women have asked the government to make their health care a priority, and we have listened. We've announced a comprehensive package—half a billion dollars—that works together to give women more choices across their lifetime.

Some of the most commonly used contraceptive pills are being listed on the PBS. They will save women who use them between $250 and $350 a year. The PBS listing of common menopause hormone therapies will save women using these treatments up to $290, or year or up to $577 a year if you have a concession card. These new PBS listings—the first new oral contraceptive to be listed in 30 years and the first new menopausal hormone therapies to be listed in 20 years—will take effect from 1 March, in just three weeks time.

We'll also boost Medicare rebates for the insertion of IUDs and birth-control implants by up to 150 per cent, saving up to $400 in out-of-pocket costs for women accessing these devices—and that's around 300,000 women. We'll also introduce a new Medicare rebate of around $110 for menopause health assessments so that women can get the care and support they need from their family GP.

We're also going to be trialling accessing contraceptives, and treatment for uncomplicated UTIs—which are very common amongst women, but not just women—directly from pharmacists. This means that women can get the treatment they need quickly but without the added cost of a doctor's visit or in some cases having to go to emergency departments because GP clinics are simply not open. These are very common conditions, and I know this will have a material impact on the way in which women can access care.

This is a package that recognises that women bear a higher cost. But what we know from those opposite is that all of this is at risk. The Leader of the Opposition has form when it comes to cuts to health care. I was the shadow health minister when he tried to introduce a GP tax—something we be fought very hard against. All of these investments are at risk under those opposite. (Time expired)