Key points

The Coalition Government believes nothing is more important than the health of all Australians.

That’s why we have invested at record levels making Australia one of the top three health systems in the world – saving and protecting lives through the global pandemic.

Our $132 billion health portfolio investment in 2022-23 growing to $140 billion in 2025-26 guarantees Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), record hospital funding and delivers more mental health services, more support through your doctor and more medical research.

One of the big lessons of COVID is that we must be prepared for future health shocks.

Our Long Term National Health Plan builds on our strong pandemic response. Over the next decade, we will continue to improve the health care of all Australians – from telehealth to onshore pandemic vaccine manufacturing.

The Australian Government now contributes 61 per cent of total government spending on health, including public hospital funding, Medicare, your GP and specialist visits, medicines, and private health insurance. State and territory funding is 39 per cent of Government funding.^[1]

Under our Government:

• The Medicare GP bulk billing rate is a record 88.8 per cent, up from 82.2 per cent under Labor. This means nearly nine in 10 visits to the doctor are free.
• Permanent and universal telehealth has been introduced, with more than 100 million new telehealth services to over 17 million people since March 2020.
• We have doubled funding for public hospitals from $13.3 billion in 2012-13 to $27.2 billion in 2022-23, growing to $32.7 billion in 2025-26.
• More than 2,900 new or amended life-saving and life-changing medicine listings have been made on the PBS with investment of over $16.5 billion.
• We will continue our policy to list all medicines on the PBS that are recommended by the medical experts.
• We will invest $525 million to lower the threshold for the PBS Safety Net from 1 July 2022, saving more than 2.4 million Australians over $80 a year.

The Coalition’s almost $3 billion Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan will expand Australia’s headspace network to 164 sites by 2025-26 (up from just 56 when our Government took office in 2013) and deliver new adult and child mental health services and eating disorder centres across Australia.

Under the Coalition, Australia will be the first country outside of Europe and North America with an mRNA vaccine manufacturing plant. We’re building on our existing capacity to produce pandemic influenza vaccines, flu vaccines and antivenoms.

Our Government’s response to the global pandemic has followed a uniquely Australian plan.

We’ve got the balance right, investing over $45 billion in our health response and over $314 billion in economic support to protect lives and livelihoods.

Australia’s vaccination rates are among the highest in the world.

Our death rate from COVID is one of the lowest in the world, and tens of thousands of lives have been saved.

On almost every measure – economic growth, jobs growth, debt levels, fatality rates or vaccination rates – Australia’s pandemic recovery is leading the world.

Through the National Partnership on COVID-19 Response we have provided $10.5 billion to support 50 per cent of the cost of state and territory health systems responding to COVID-19 outbreaks and to address elective surgery waiting lists.

Only the Coalition Government’s strong economic management can ensure our health system stays strong.

A strong economy ensures we can invest in the essential services we need.

A re-elected Coalition Government will:

• Guarantee Medicare, strengthen primary care and improve access to medicines and vaccines.
• Support our public and private hospitals and keep the cost of private health insurance down.
• Deliver record funding for mental health and preventive health services.
• Save and prolong lives through more medical research.

• The Coalition Government will invest $273.1 million to expand eligibility for the Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Initiative from 1 July 2022 to an additional 71,000 people with Type 1 diabetes.
  • This means that every Australian with Type 1 diabetes will have access to a potentially life-saving CGM device, saving them thousands of dollars per year.
• A e-elected Coalition Government will invest $558.1 million to cut the PBS General Co-payment from 1 January 2023 by $10, as part of an annual $150 million hip-pocket saving for Australians.
  • The $10 cut per general script means the maximum price Australians will pay for PBS medicines drops from $42.50 down to $32.50, a 24 per cent saving.
  • This is the first time the PBS General Co-payment had been reduced by any Government and it could benefit the more than 19 million Australians without a concession card each year.
• The Coalition is investing an additional $146 million to inject more doctors and allied health professionals into regional and rural communities and improve treatment and care for patients.
• The Coalition will invest $53.9 million to make it easier for more Australians to become parents and to support the mental health of new parents. As part of this investment from 1 November 2022, the Morrison Government will subsidise the costs of storage of eggs, sperm or embryos for Australians who are wanting to have a child and who have cancer or are at risk of passing on genetic diseases. This will assist an average of 6,200 Australians per year, saving them approximately $600 per year.
• We will also provide $25.8 million to fund 20 new Gidget Foundation Australia perinatal mental health and wellbeing services in every state and territory, to make sure new mums and dads have access to the mental health support they need.
• We will provide $77 million to establish a Comprehensive Cancer Centre in South Australia and $375 million to establish a Landmark Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Queensland to provide world-class cancer care for patients.

Our $6.3 billion, 10-year Medical Research Future Fund Plan is delivering breakthrough advances in treatments and cures, and creating more jobs in our world-class medical and biotechnology sector.

As part of this plan, over $170 million will be invested to help researchers around the country tackle problems like hospital emergency demand, pain management for children with musculoskeletal conditions and the use of immunoglobulins to prevent infections and treat peripheral nerve disease.

Labor can’t manage money, so they stopped listing life-changing medications on the PBS, cut mental health services, cut funding for the private health insurance rebates for families and threatened medical research funding.

Australians cannot trust Labor to manage the economy, or to manage their health care.

For more information on health funding: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/health-funding-facts

Our Plan

1. Access to life-saving devices to manage diabetes

The Coalition Government will invest $273.1 million to expand the Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Initiative from 1 July 2022 to an additional 71,000 people with Type 1 diabetes.

This means that every Australian with Type 1 diabetes will have access to a potentially life-saving CGM device, which could cost up to $5,000 per year without subsidy.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that attacks a person’s ability to produce insulin.

People with this condition must track their glucose levels day and night for their entire life.

This life changing technology continually monitors glucose levels and provides alerts if they become unsafe. By better controlling blood glucose levels, self-management of diabetes is significantly improved and the risk of emergency hospital visits reduced.

Our Government established the Continuous Glucose Monitoring Scheme in 2017.

The Morrison Government expanded eligibility for the program in 2019 so that over 58,000 people under the age of 21, concession card holders and pregnant women could secure CGM devices for free.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Invest $273.1 million to expand the CGM Initiative from 1 July 2022 to an additional 71,000 people with Type 1 diabetes. This new investment means that all 130,000 Australians with Type 1 diabetes will have access to a potentially life-saving CGM, which could otherwise cost them up to $5,000 per year without subsidy, depending on the device. Under the changes, an additional 71,000 people will have access to CGM and Flash Glucose Monitoring devices listed on the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS), with a capped patient co-payment of $32.50 per month for non-concessional T1D sufferers over the age of 21 equivalent to the co-payment to access blood glucose test strips through the NDSS.

2. Guaranteeing Medicare – making it easier and more affordable to see your doctor

The Coalition will continue to invest in and modernise Medicare to ensure all Australians get the health care they need.

Telehealth is permanent and universal with 100 million new services to over 17 million people since its introduction in March 2020 with an investment of over $5 billion.

Our Government has added new treatments and tests to Medicare, including for breast cancer, obstetrics and gynaecology, heart disease and mental health.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Grow Medicare funding from $31.4 billion in 2022-23 to an estimated $35.5 billion in 2025-26, up from $19 billion in 2012-13. Implement Australia’s Primary Health Care 10-Year Plan 2022-2032 – building on our initial $1.7 billion investment by embracing advances in telehealth, digital health and other new technologies. Continue to make it easier to see a doctor and grow the current record GP bulk billing rates. Today in Australia, nine out of 10 patients visit their GP for free. Make it easier and more affordable to access Medicare-funded MRI scans in regional, rural and remote Australia. A $66 million investment will increase access to Medicare funded MRI scans in regional, rural and remote Australia from 1 November 2022.

3. Improving access to new medicines and vaccines

Under the Coalition Government, Australians will have more affordable and guaranteed access to medicines and vaccines through the PBS and National Immunisation Program (NIP).

In the 2022-23 Budget, we invested a further $2.4 billion for new and amended PBS listings including treatments for breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, severe eczema, asthma, spinal muscular atrophy, HIV infection and heart failure.

Recent PBS listings include:

• Zolgensma® for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy. This would cost patients over $2.5 million per treatment without subsidy by the Government.
• Trodelvy® for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer. This would cost patients over $80,000 per course without subsidy by the Government.
• Trikafta® for cystic fibrosis. This would cost patients over $250,000 per year without subsidy by the Government.
• Nubeqa® for the treatment of castration resistant prostate cancer. This would cost patients $40,000 per course without subsidy by the Government.
• Kesimpta®, for the treatment of relapsing‑remitting multiple sclerosis. This would cost patients $28,000 per course without subsidy by the Government.

Through the PBS patients can access their medicines for a maximum of $42.50 per script, or as little as $6.80 with a concession card. Over 91 per cent of PBS scripts are dispensed to concession card holders, pensioners and low income earners, meaning they pay no more than $6.80 per script or receive their script for free if they reach the PBS safety net.

Our Government has also delivered access to new vaccines for meningococcal, whooping cough and flu through the NIP.

These life-changing achievements are in stark contrast to Labor. Labor stopped listing medicines because they couldn’t manage the economy.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Continue our policy to list all medicines on the PBS that are recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC). Invest $558.1 million to cut the PBS General Co-payment from 1 January 2023 by $10, as part of an annual $150 million hip-pocket saving for Australians. The $10 cut per general script means the maximum price Australians will pay for PBS medicines drops from $42.50 down to $32.50, a 24 per cent saving. This is the first time the PBS General Co-payment had been reduced by any Government and it could benefit the more than 19 million Australians without a concession card each year. Invest over $525 million to make medicines more affordable for 2.4 million Australians by lowering the PBS Safety Net threshold from 1 July 2022. Each year, concessional patients will reach the PBS Safety Net with 12 fewer filled scripts. For general patients, it’s two fewer scripts – saving over $80 a year. Guarantee PBS investment over the next five years through the PBS New Medicines Funding Guarantee. Continue to improve the safe use of medicines through the $1.2 billion investment in medication management programs under the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement.

4. Improving women’s health

The Morrison Government is focused on the physical, mental, social and economic health and well-being of women and girls, investing a further $333 million in the recent Budget through our National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Invest $53.9 million to make it easier for more Australians to become parents and to support the mental health of new parents. As part of this investment from 1 November 2022, the Morrison Government will subsidise the costs of storage of eggs, sperm or embryos for Australians who are wanting to have a child and who have cancer or are at risk of passing on genetic diseases. This will assist an average of 6,200 Australians per year, saving them approximately $600 per year. We will also provide $ 25.8 million to fund 20 new Gidget Foundation Australia perinatal mental health and wellbeing services in every state and territory , to make sure new mums and dads have access to the mental health support they need. Invest $58.3 million to support the more than 830,000 women with endometriosis, including through a new national network of pelvic pain clinics. For couples planning pregnancy, implement genetic testing for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy and Fragile X syndrome (FXS) – an $81.2 million investment. Invest $137.6 million to support survivors of family, domestic and sexual violence. Local care teams will assist in mental health recovery, a nationwide program will be rolled out to help navigate the health system, and a women’s trauma recovery centre (Illawarra Women’s Centre) will be established. Invest $18.8 million towards our target of reducing the rate of stillbirths by 20 per cent by 2025. A scholarship program will encourage more pathologists to train in perinatal pathology. Establish a National Women’s Health Advisory Council to support the implementation of the National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030. Invest $500,000 towards the Her Heart Hub and cardiovascular health conference to address increasing cardio-vascular disease risk in women. Invest $4.2 million to extend Red Nose’s Hospital to Home program, providing dedicated support to parents following loss of a baby or infant.

5. Improving Indigenous health

The Coalition Government is investing more than $4.6 billion over four years to prioritise and improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a focus on improving health infrastructure, and providing better support for maternal and antenatal care, aged care and mental health services.

We have worked in partnership with indigenous health experts on the implementation of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan, which seeks to meet the health targets and priority reforms of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap Agreement through culturally safe, integrated and holistic care.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Invest $13.9 million towards the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme, supporting 300 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander undergraduate students in health-related disciplines – with full-time scholarships of up to $15,000 per year and part-time scholarships of up to $7,500. Invest $8.6 million to establish the National Closing the Gap Policy Partnership on Social and Emotional Wellbeing and help reduce the devastating impact of mental ill-health and suicide on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Invest $5.9 million to catch up on missed health screenings for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural communities. Invest $2.4 million to deliver culturally appropriate, locally-designed mental health services to Indigenous communities impacted by the 2022 floods.

6. Stronger Rural Health Strategy

The Coalition Government is committed to quality health care for all Australians – including our regions and rural and remote communities.

That’s what our 10-Year Stronger Rural Health Strategy is all about.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Deliver $1 billion to boost rural health with $296.5 million in the 2022–23 Budget and $146 million in additional funding for the 10-Year Stronger Rural Health Strategy, building on the original $550 million investment in the 2018–19 budget. As part of the $146 million Rural Workforce package we will inject more doctors and allied health professionals into regional and rural communities and improve treatment and care for patients, including: $35 million in new funding to attract, support and retain rural health professionals through the successful Innovative Models of Collaborative Care program. $15 million to expand the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program to more than 1,000 placements in rural Australia per year by 2026. This will train the next generation of junior doctors through placements in rural and regional general practice and make them ready for the Australian General Practice Training Program. $9 million for rural GPs to undertake advanced skills training in areas including obstetrics, palliative care, paediatrics and mental health. $87 million to incentivise highly trained healthcare professionals to work in rural and remote Australia. Expanding the Murrumbidgee single employer model trial to more regions across rural Australia to provide more support for GPs to work in country hospitals and treat patients in the community. This will help more doctors provide services such as anaesthetics, obstetrics, mental health and emergency medicine in regional areas. Allowing local areas that have been identified as a priority for recruiting more doctors to have more time to recruit them through a 12 month extension of their Distribution Priority Area (DPA) status. Make it easier and more affordable to access Medicare funded MRI scans in regional, rural and remote Australia. Our $66 million investment will expand access to Medicare rebates for all MRI services on Medicare to all MRI machines located in regional, rural and remote Australia from 1 November 2022. Invest $99.3 million for 80 additional Commonwealth Supported Places so more students can study medicine at rural campuses. Invest $14.3 million to expand the Rural Health Medical Training Program in aged care to another five locations in the Northern Territory, Victoria, New South Wales and remote Queensland. Invest an additional $33.3 million over four years towards a 10-year strategic agreement with the Royal Flying Doctor Service worth almost $1 billion. Invest $18 million in CareFlight to guarantee rescue and emergency aeromedical services for remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Northern Territory. Invest $4.1 million in Little Wings to deliver aeromedical transport services for seriously ill children across rural New South Wales, with an expansion of services also planned for the ACT and Queensland. Invest $17.2 million in Heart of Australia so five mobile clinics can continue to deliver diagnostic, treatment and follow-up care services to 32 communities in rural and remote Queensland. Services include cardiology, endocrinology, sleep medicine, psychiatry, geriatric medicine, immunology, general medicine, neurology, gastroenterology and gynaecology CT and x-ray.

7. Record investment in hospitals

Access to free and expert care in our public hospitals underpins our world-class health system.

Since coming to office, our Government has doubled funding for public hospitals from $13.3 billion in 2012-13 to about $27.2 billion in 2022-23, growing to $32.7 billion in 2025-26.

In the 2022-23 Budget, we are boosting public hospital funding by $9.8 billion since the 2021-22 Budget.

This is in addition to the significant investment in the National Partnership on COVID-19 Response, which has provided $10.5 billion to support 50 per cent of the cost of state and territory health systems responding to COVID-19 outbreaks, and to address elective surgery waiting lists.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Continue to provide record funding for public hospitals to support more nurses, doctors and specialists to provide care for Australian patients. Provide $375 million to deliver a new landmark cancer facility in Perth that will transform care and support for West Australians diagnosed with cancer and their families. Provide $77 million to establish a Comprehensive Cancer Centre in South Australia with world-leading research, education and clinical care. Through improvements in research and testing, the project is expected to see 2,000 cancer cases each year prevented, diagnosed early and treated more effectively in South Australia, as well as assisting patients from the Northern Territory. Provide $375 million to establish a Landmark Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Queensland to provide world-class cancer care for patients.

8. Simpler and more affordable private health insurance

Our Government’s reforms and investment in the private health insurance rebate are working. For the first time in a decade, we have seen six consecutive quarters of growth in private hospital treatment coverage meaning more people are getting greater value out of their coverage and reducing pressure on the public health system

Private health insurance membership is at record levels, with more than 14 million Australians now covered.

The 2022 premium change is the lowest in more than 21 years and the eighth successive decline in premium changes since Labor’s last year in Government in 2013.

Our Government has increased investment in the patient rebate for private health insurance from $5.4 billion in 2012-13 to $6.9 billion in 2022-23.

We’ve implemented new, easy to understand gold, silver, bronze and basic classifications for private health insurance, standard clinical definitions, better access to mental health, better care in rural and regional Australia, lower prices for medical devices, and more flexibility for families and people with disabilities to receive their care.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Continue to support value, choice and high quality services for patients and clinicians in the private health care sector. Continue to make private health insurance simpler and more affordable and deliver record low premium changes for consumers. Guarantee the private health insurance rebate, which will grow to $7.5 billion by 2025-26. Lower the prices for medical devices, ensuring savings flow to consumers, and improve access to new treatment and medical devices.

9. Planning for future pandemics

Australia’s world-leading health response to COVID-19 resulted in one of the lowest fatality rates, with death rates in the US and UK around 10 times higher.

Together with all Australians, our plan has helped save tens of thousands of lives and protected livelihoods.

While the global pandemic was unexpected, Australia was up to the challenge. Our hospitals, clinicians and experts – and most of all, our dedicated health workforce – stepped up to save and protect Australian lives.

The Morrison Government followed the medical advice, working closely with the states and territories and the community, and suppressed the virus through: closing international borders, quarantine, building our health system capacity, locally-made vaccines, ventilators and PPE, social distancing and strong testing rates, tracing and hygiene practices. More than 95 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over have been vaccinated. Tens of thousands of lives have been saved.

The 2022–23 Budget focused on our preparedness for future pandemics and brings the Government’s pandemic health response to over $45 billion.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Continue to build resilience in our health system in the event of future pandemics. We are working with industry to secure long-term medical manufacturing capabilities. Deliver sovereign mRNA vaccine manufacturing capability and capacity in partnership with Moderna and the Victorian Government. Starting in 2024, this facility will be capable of manufacturing up to 100 million mRNA vaccines, creating over 500 jobs in construction and 200 permanent high-tech jobs. Deliver on our $1 billion investment in CSL Seqirus to establish a new high-tech manufacturing facility in Melbourne for next generation cell-based seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines, Q fever vaccines and life-saving antivenoms. Continue to invest in the National Medical Stockpile to ensure rapid access to personal protective equipment.

10. Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan

Under the Morrison Government, mental health and suicide prevention is a national priority.

We want all Australians to have access to the support they need, when and where they need it.

The Morrison Government is committed to working towards zero suicides.

Our $3 billion National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan is the largest ever federal government investment in mental health and suicide prevention. The 2022-23 Budget included Stage 2 commitments worth $648.6 million.

Our mental health and suicide prevention funding in the health portfolio alone will increase to a record of around $6.8 billion in 2022-23. That’s more than double the $3.3 billion when Labor was last in government.

We have delivered Mental Health and Suicide Prevention funding agreements with the states and territories, and are establishing a national network of up to 70 Head to Health adult mental health services and at least 15 Head to Health Kids centres. These will provide greater access to affordable, high quality, person-centred mental health care across the country.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Continue the Government’s commitment to work towards zero suicides and deliver new programs and initiatives for the mental health workforce, enhancing care for young people. Deliver the most significant expansion of headspace services with a total of 164 sites to be established across Australia by 2025-26, as well as extending the successful model into new adult Head to Health centres and specialist children’s services. Provide an additional $52.3 million over four years to support Lifeline continuing to deliver digital mental health services. This includes the telephone counselling service, which has proved vital during the pandemic. Invest $206.5 million for the Early Psychosis Youth Services (EPYS) Program to ensure continuity of care for vulnerable Australians experiencing, or at risk of, psychosis, and to expand the network to every state and territory via two new hub sites in Tasmania and the ACT. Continue to work with the states and territories after concluding Australia’s first National Agreement on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Together, we are building a coordinated and compassionate mental health and suicide prevention system to support all Australians.

11. Improve preventive health

The Morrison Government’s National Preventive Health Strategy 2021–2030 aims to improve the health of all Australians through physical activity, better nutrition and reducing alcohol and other harmful drug use. Our Government is providing an additional $30.1 million for the Strategy, focusing on increasing physical activity and nutrition.

The Coalition Government has committed over $1 billion to support adult dental care for concession card holders since coming to Government, with an additional $107.8 million in the 2022–23 Budget.

Our investment has delivered an additional 1.8 million dental services.

We are also building on our work to date to tackle alcohol and drug use through prevention and treatment.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Encourage Australians to catch up on regular health checks, diagnostic screening and other preventive health activities. This $55.7 million investment includes: $9.7 million for mammogram surge capacity at BreastScreen Australia. $10.2 million for a triage nurse pilot to help improve colonoscopy access. $20 million for cervical cancer screening, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Continue core activities under the five National Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategies 2018–2022, aiming to eliminate HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs as public health threats by 2030. Develop a whole-of-government National Nutrition Policy Framework to identify, prioritise, drive and monitor healthy eating in Australia and support a feasibility study examining unhealthy food and drink advertising to children. Establish a culturally and linguistically diverse Health Advisory Group. The $10.6 million investment will help all Australians understand the importance of preventive health and access to health services. Invest more than $830 million to deliver alcohol and other drug treatment services and programs over the next four years. This includes our National Ice Action Strategy. Expand the national Take Home Naloxone (THN) program through a $19.6 million investment. Our nationwide goal is to make this life-saving, overdose-reversal medication available at no cost and without a prescription.

13. World-leading medical research

The Morrison Government recognises that a stronger and healthier future depends on cutting edge medical research.

We’ve committed $6.8 billion over four years to drive the world-leading research that will improve health outcomes, as well as create jobs and economic growth:

• $3.7 billion for the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
• $2.6 billion for the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)
• $500 million for the Biomedical Translation Fund (BTF).

The 2022-23 Budget included $303.5 million in new medical research grants.

A further $170 million will be invested to help researchers around the country tackle problems like hospital emergency demand, pain management for children with musculoskeletal conditions and the use of immunoglobulins to prevent infections and treat peripheral nerve disease.

The Coalition Government’s significant investment in medical research will help uncover the next wave of therapeutic discoveries, protecting and saving lives here and around the world.

We are tackling childhood cancer through the Zero Childhood Cancer Initiative, and undertaking groundbreaking screening for life-threatening genetic conditions through Mackenzie's Mission.

A re-elected Coalition Government will: Invest $6.3 billion implementing the 10-year MRFF Investment Plan for health and medical research. The Plan funds 21 initiatives from 2022-23 to 2031-32, supporting life-saving research, creating jobs, strengthening local opportunities for commercialising research and innovation, and growing Australia’s reputation as a world leader in medical research. Deliver investments through the NHMRC (through competitive grant programs) of more than $860 million each year. Support the development of a vibrant and thriving biotechnology sector in Australia.

Our Record

Australia’s world-leading health response to COVID-19 resulted in one of the lowest fatality rates, with death rates in the US and UK around 10 times higher.

Together with all Australians, our plan has helped save tens of thousands of lives and protected livelihoods.

Australia has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, ranking 5th among advanced economies with over 57 million doses administered.

We provided better access to healthcare with Telehealth (over 100 million consultations since the start of the pandemic), which has now been made universal and permanent.

Australia has one of the highest COVID testing rates in the world, with more than 68 million PCR tests taken and over 30 million free rapid antigen tests provided to concession card holders.

To ensure we continue to protect vulnerable Australians, we have invested a further $2.1 billion in the Winter Response Plan. This includes another 161 million units of personal protective equipment and 26 million Rapid Antigen Tests for residential aged care facilities.

Federal funding for public hospitals has nearly doubled – from $13.3 billion under Labor in 2012-13 to $27.2 billion in 2022-23. Under our five-year hospital agreements, funding is expected to increase to $30.7 billion in 2024-25.

As well, through the National Partnership on COVID-19 Response, the Morrison Government has provided $10.5 billion to support 50 per cent of the cost of state and territory health systems in responding to COVID-19 outbreaks, and to address elective surgery waiting lists.

Under our Government, federal funding has grown to 61 per cent of total government health expenditure, with the states and territories funding 39 per cent.^[2]

Under our Government, over 2,900 new or amended medicine listings worth $16.5 billion have been added to the PBS. Some of these medicines cost thousands of dollars, but are now available for $6.80 (concessional) or $42.50 (general patients) per script.

We’re making it easier for Australians to get their medicines. With the introduction of e-prescribing, more than 46 million original and repeat prescriptions have already been generated electronically.

For the first time, Medicare is covering the cost of MRI and PET scans for breast cancer patients – improving diagnosis and treatment.

Our Government’s landmark reforms to private health insurance have made it simpler and more affordable, with the lowest premium changes in 21 years.

Our Government has more than doubled funding for mental health since 2013, from $3.3 billion to an estimated $6.8 billion in 2022-23.

The Morrison Government committed more than $1.3 billion in response to the mental health impacts of the pandemic and has doubled the number of Medicare-subsidised psychological services available through the Better Access Initiative, from 10 to 20.

More funding is being provided for Lifeline, headspace, Beyond Blue and Kids Helpline.

We’ve delivered a new National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement and the world’s first National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy to focus on mental health and wellbeing for children up to age 12.

We’ve established Australia’s first National Suicide Prevention Office to oversee a coordinated nationwide approach to suicide prevention and help work towards the Morrison Government’s target of zero suicides.

We’ve implemented the first National Action Plan for Endometriosis to improve health outcomes for women and girls suffering from endometriosis. There is $58 million for support and a national network of endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics.

We’ve developed the first National Stillbirth Action and Implementation Plan, aiming to reduce the rate of Australian stillbirths by 20 per cent by 2025.

Under our Government, 64 new Medicare items enable people suffering from an eating disorder to access up to 40 psychological and 20 dietetic services per year. Six new residential eating disorder treatment centres are being established.

The immunisation rate for five-year-old children is now over 95 per cent – the highest on record – with access to new vaccines for meningococcal, whooping cough, HPV virus and flu through the National Immunisation Program.

In just the first two years of the Government’s $550 million Stronger Rural Health Strategy, more than 700 extra GPs and 700 nurses are working in regional and remote areas. The Strategy is delivering 3,000 more doctors and over 3,000 extra nurses and allied health professionals over the next decade.

The Coalition Government established and expanded free access to glucose monitoring devices for pregnant women, children and more adults with Type 1 diabetes.

The Coalition has taken a critical step in helping to end the transmission of HIV. People at medium to high risk of HIV infection now have access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) on the PBS.

Our Government established the landmark $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) which has so far funded 722 projects.

The Risk of Labor

There is a clear choice at this election.

Labor can’t be trusted on health, because they can’t manage money.

When last in government:

• Labor stopped listing medicines on the PBS.
• Labor cut access to mental health services.
• Labor froze Medicare rebates.
• Labor cut the private health insurance rebate that supports families.

Labor's only COVID-19 pandemic policy was to spend $6 billion paying vaccinated Australians to get vaccinated.

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^[1] Health expenditure in 2019-20, by source of funds and area of expenditure (Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Health expenditure Australia 2019-20). https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-expenditure-australia-2019-20/contents/summary

^[2] Health expenditure in 2019-20, by source of funds and area of expenditure (Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Health expenditure Australia 2019-20).

Cost

The Coalition is investing an additional $273.1 million over the forward estimates to expand eligibility for the Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Initiative from 1 July 2022 to an additional 71,000 people with Type 1 diabetes.

The Coalition is also investing an additional $558.1 million over the forward estimates to reduce the current Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) General Co-payment from 1 January 2023 by $10 from $42.50 down to $32.50.

The Coalition is investing an additional $146 million to inject more doctors and allied health professionals into regional and rural communities and improve treatment and care for patients.

The Coalition will invest $25.8 million over four years to fund 20 new Gidget Foundation Australia perinatal mental health and wellbeing services.

The Coalition will invest $77 million to establish a Comprehensive Cancer Centre in South Australia.

The Coalition will invest $375 million to establish a Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Queensland.

Funding for other policies detailed in the Coalition's Plan For Strengthening Australia’s World Class Health System is already provisioned for within budget estimates.