Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan released

Around four million Australians who experience a mental health condition will benefit from a strengthened mental health system under the Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. The Plan, which was endorsed in August by all health ministers at Council of Australian Governments Health Council, has been released as Mental Health Week comes to…

Major reforms to make private health insurance simpler and more affordable

The Turnbull Government is today announcing a wide ranging package of reforms to make private health insurance simpler and more affordable for Australians. We know that every dollar matters to Australian families and these reforms will get better value for families and make policies easier to understand. Private health insurance is an essential and valuable…

$200 million research boost to improve the lives of Australian patients

The Turnbull Government is investing over $200 million in world-leading medical research projects to improve the lives of patients battling cancers, mental health illnesses and chronic disease. In addition to this significant investment in medical research, the Turnbull Government is providing $5 million to CanTeen under the Medical Research Future Fund Accelerated Research program to…

New funding grant for Flinders Men’s Sheds

The Turnbull Government is providing funding for four Men’s Sheds in the Flinders electorate as part of the National Shed Development Program. The New Peninsula, Safety Beach-Dromana, Cranbourne-Casey, Peninsula North and Junction Village Men’s Sheds will receive thousands of dollars’ worth of funding to help purchase equipment, undertake facility upgrades and provide materials for community…

Pensioner Concession Card reinstated for 1039 Flinders part-pensioners

More than one thousand part-pensioners in the seat of Flinders will have their Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) reinstated from this week. These former part-pensioners lost the card in January as a consequence of reforms to the pension assets test, which were designed to make the pension system more affordable and sustainable for the future. “Those…

Providing affordable access to new treatment for leukaemia and lymphoma

More than 920 Australians each year will benefit from affordable access to a new medicine for leukaemia and lymphoma patients. Ibrutinib (sold as Imbruvica®) would normally cost $187,390 on average per course of treatment, putting it beyond the reach of most patients. This $466 million listing on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme will save patients hundreds…

Marking National Headspace Day

Headspace supports tens of thousands of Australians each year who are struggling with mental health problems by providing vital counselling services in person and online. That’s why the Turnbull Government is supporting headspace with more than $92 million funding this year, to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians. 100 headspace centres operate…

A new vaccine to strengthen the health of young Australians

From the start of 2018, young Australians will have free access to the new Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protecting against more strains of HPV infection. This new and improved vaccine is a significant breakthrough and will provide Australian children with even greater protection against HPV. Gardasil 9 is the most comprehensive and effective HPV vaccine…

Tourist Boom for the Mornington Peninsula

International visitors to Australia are flocking to the Mornington Peninsula, with new figures revealing tourists are staying longer and spending more in the region. The International Visitor Survey (IVS) shows more than 61 thousand international visitors toured the Mornington Peninsula last financial year, spending more than $1,000 per person. Minister Hunt welcomed the growth in…