Landmark Medicare support for Australians living with an eating disorder

The Liberal and Nationals’ Government will help tens of thousands of Australians living with an eating disorder to access life-saving treatment with a landmark $115 million package. For the first time, those Australians with severe eating disorders will now be able to access a comprehensive treatment plan under Medicare. Patients will be able to access…

Christine Morgan appointed CEO of National Mental Health Commission

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Christine Morgan as Chief Executive Officer of the National Mental Health Commission   Christine is a highly experienced leader with a deep exposure to the mental health sector.  She has demonstrated experiences as a highly credible chief executive in the sector as CEO of the Butterfly Foundation…

Record vaccinations slash flu rates in Australia

Australia experienced the lowest rates of the influenza since 2013 after a record 11 million Australians got a flu jab, nearly a third more than the previous year,   To date, only 52,000 cases of influenza have been reported, compared with nearly 250,000 cases in the same period last year.   In response to the…

Historic family and domestic violence leave delivered

Up to six million Australians will have access to a guaranteed entitlement of five days’ unpaid family and domestic violence leave following the passage of legislation in the Parliament yesterday.   Federal Member for Flinders, the Hon. Greg Hunt MP, said the Coalition Government’s legislation enshrines family and domestic violence leave as a workplace right…

States urged to boost funding to their own hospitals

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report on elective surgery and emergency department wait times should be a wake-up call to states to increase their share of funding to their hospitals.   Our Government provides significant funding to assist the states and territories to provide these vital services.   I call on the…

Government to support suicide summit recommendations

The Liberal National Government will commit to supporting the outcomes of the National Suicide Prevention Summit held in Canberra this week including development of a system which allow rapid responses to clusters of suicide in communities.   On Monday, experts, community leaders, including representatives of the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, came together to discuss…

$240 million for research into the next big medical breakthrough

The Liberal National Government is supporting our brightest minds with a $240 million program giving researchers significant funds for their innovative and transformational medical research.   Applications for the Frontier Health and Medical Research program have now opened, allowing researchers to push the boundaries to develop tomorrow’s health and medical breakthroughs.   The Frontiers program…

$7 million to help reduce stillbirth in Australia

Stillbirth is one of the greatest tragedies to happen to any family.   The Liberal National Government will convene a national roundtable to address the rate of stillbirth in Australia, along with an initial commitment of $7.2 million for medical research and education programs.   The funding is the Coalition Government’s immediate response to the…

New Mental Health Service helps young people to Bounce Back

A new service in the South Eastern Melbourne region will provide multidisciplinary care and support to young people with, or at risk of, serious and complex mental illness.   The innovative BounceBack mental health service, launched last Friday, has been developed by South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network for 12 to 25 year olds.  …

Medicines for severe asthma and growth hormone deficiency listed on the PBS

The Liberal National Government will list new medicines for severe asthma, and severe growth hormone deficiency on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), saving patients up to $21,000 a year.   From today Fasenra® (benralizumab), a new treatment option for patients with uncontrolled severe eosinophilic asthma, will be available on the PBS.   Around 670 patients…