Ministers' media centre

Read the transcript of Minister Well's television interview on the federal budget; aged care workforce; cost of living; flood payments.

Read the transcript of the radio interview with Minister Butler and Dan Cox on Hunter GP access after hours; strengthening Medicare; Urgent Care Clinics.

Read the transcript of the radio interview with Minister Butler and Richard King on Hunter GP access after hours; hospital funding; cheaper medicines.

The Australian Government is delivering on our commitment to make it easier for people in the Hunter region to see a GP or nurse after hours.

Read the transcript of Minister Butler's press conference on cheaper medicines; hospital funding; Medicare regulation; long COVID; bivalent vaccines.

The Australian Government today passed legislation requiring aged care homes to have around-the-clock nursing care, a key election commitment.

The Australian Government’s legislation, which will see millions of Australians pay 29 per cent less for scripts with the maximum general co-payment dropping from $42.50 to $30, has passed into law.

The Government today announced the appointment of Adjunct Professor Debora Picone AO as Chair of the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Review Reference Committee.

Australia’s aged care sector has been neglected for too long. This Budget takes the first steps to deliver on reforms to ensure older Australians in care are treated with the respect they deserve with a $3.9 billion package of reforms.

The Australian Government’s 2022-23 Budget begins the task of strengthening Medicare after a decade of cuts and neglect. This is a Budget for the health of every Australian. Overall spending on health ($104.1b), aged care ($30.6b) and sport ($633.5m) is $135.3b – up 5.7 per cent on last year.

Read the transcript of Minister Butler's doorstop on cheaper medicines; November PBS listings; Medibank data breach; the Budget; South Australian Government.

From 1 November 2022, Australians will have access to new and updated medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). These include listings for skin cancer, lung cancer and genetic disease X-linked hypophosphataemia (XLH).

The Australian Government is investing more than $5 million in four research projects to improve the long-term health outcomes of people with intellectual disability.

Fifteen cutting edge medical research and technology projects will receive a total of $16.9 million from the Australian Government to accelerate their transition into clinical practice.

The Australian Government has announced close to $7.5 million funding to support research that will help prevent hearing loss and improve the health and wellbeing of those who live with hearing impairment.

Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells is encouraging older people, their family, friends, carers and aged care providers to share their views on strengthening quality in aged care through the Aged Care Quality Standards.

Read the transcript of Minister Wells' speech at the Australia and New Zealand Sports Law Association Conference.

The Australian Government will provide an unprecedented $25 million for dementia, ageing and aged care research.

The Australian Government is providing $40.6 million to Triple P International to help them deliver free, online parenting education and mental health support to Australian parents and carers of children under 12.

Read the transcript of the television interview with Minister Butler and Sarah Ferguson on Medicare fraud.

Read the transcript of the radio interview with Minister Butler and Patricia Karvelas on Medicare fraud, aged care sector and the StewartBrown report, and reintroducing bulk billed psychiatric telehealth consultations for regional and rural Australia.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler has issued the following statement regarding Medicare reporting.

Read Assistant Minister McBride's speech to the Fourth Global Mental Health Summit on Friday 14 October 2022 (Check against delivery)

The Australian Government is delivering on our election commitment to restore bulk billed video telehealth psychiatry consultations, through a $47.7 million investment in the October 2022-23 Budget. Joint media release with Assistant Minister Emma McBride and Fiona Phillips, Member for Gilmore.

Mr David Tune AO PSM has been appointed as the independent reviewer to lead the capability review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.