Ministers' media centre

On Rare Disease Day, the Albanese Government has announced two more rare genetic conditions have been recommended by the independent group of experts for addition to Australian newborn bloodspot screening (NBS) and a new treatment option for infants with spinal muscular atrophy.

The Australian Government’s world leading vaping reforms are progressing, with the next stage of import restrictions taking effect from 1 March, as well as the launch of a government communications campaign targeting youth vaping.

Read the transcript from Minister Butler's press conference on vaping, private health insurance, tobacco and the Community Pharmacy Agreement.

The Tuggeranong community will soon have a safe place to access free mental health support, with a new Head to Health mental health service for adults receiving funding and set to open later this year.

The Australian Government today launched the Stronger Medicare Awards, to honour those who have made a significant contribution to Australia’s primary care sector.

The Australian Government is providing $50 million to develop and commercialise the world’s most advanced artificial heart, a technology that could halve deaths from heart failure globally and contribute $1.8 billion to Australia and Australian society.

Read the transcript of Minister Butler's press conference on the Australian Government funding $50 million to develop world-leading artificial hearts.

The Australian Government has responded to the recommendations made by a parliamentary committee into Long COVID, recognising the chronic nature of Long COVID and the need for multidisciplinary team-based healthcare.

Read Assistant Minister McBride's speech at the Ministerial Summit on youth radicalisation.

Read Minister Butler's opinion piece first published in the Advertiser on 7 February 2024.

The Australian Government is investing close to $8 million to support innovative healthcare trials in rural and remote Australia.

Read the transcript from Minister Butler's interview on ABC Radio Sydney Mornings with Sarah McDonald which covered vaping.

The University of Sydney will receive $35 million through the Medical Research Future Fund to establish a manufacturing facility that can produce, store and ship bioengineered corneas across Australia and the world.

Today Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Health Minister Mark Butler launched a special '40 Years of Medicare' pop-up display at Australian Parliament House in Canberra.

Read the transcript of Minister Butler's speech about the '40 years of Medicare' pop-up display at Parliament House.

Read the transcript of Assistant Minister McBride's speech at the ABC Heywire Regional Youth Summit Parliamentary Lunch, Parliament House, Canberra.

From 1 February 2024, Australians with advanced melanoma and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) will have access to new and updated medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The Australian Government has secured access to an experimental medicine to help in the fight against a rare and highly aggressive brain cancer in children—Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).

The Australian Government is funding a wide-ranging national research program that will give new hope and help to Australian children, adolescents and young adults with childhood brain cancers, including Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).

Read the transcript from Minister Butler's interview with Nadia Mitsopoulos, which covered Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, the 40th anniversary of Medicare and bulk billing.

The GP bulk billing rate has risen by 2.1 percentage points in the first two months since the Australian Government tripled the bulk billing incentive.

Read the transcript from Minister Butler's television interview on bulk billing rates

Read the transcript from Minister Butler's television interview on bulk billing rates

Read the transcript from Minister Butler's interview on ABC News which covered the 40th anniversary of Medicare, bulk billing and concussion guidelines for sport.

Read the transcript of Minister Butler's interview with Kieran Gilbert on Medicare's 40th anniversary; 360,000 more bulk billed visits to the GP; COVID inquiry.