This bill became law on Sep 4th, 2025.
Health, care & disability
The Act reduces the maximum PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. from $31.60 to $25 from 1 January 2026, a $6.60 cut for general patients without a concession card.
The bill was introduced to deliver a 2025 election commitment to make PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. medicines cheaper for general patients. The explanatory memorandum frames the problem as both a cost-of-living issue and a health issue: when prescriptions are too expensive, some people delay or skip medicines, which can worsen chronic conditions and increase later health costs. The government chose a $25 general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. as a balance between immediate savings at the pharmacy counter and keeping the PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. sustainable for new listings, bulk-billing and the wider pharmaceutical market.
The Act is part of a sequence of PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. affordability measures rather than a broad redesign of the medicines system. Debate was mostly supportive of the $25 cap, but senators and MPs used the bill to press related concerns: medicine shortages, slow health-technology assessment reform, GP costs and dental care outside Medicare.
The bill’s central $25 PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. co-payment cut drew broad support. The main criticisms were that it did not solve other barriers to medicine and health-care access, especially medicine shortages, slow medicine assessment processes, GP costs and dental care.
Mark Butler MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 04 Sept 2025
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
4 recorded amendment or procedural votes were found, but no counted vote on the bill itself was recorded.
Passage speed
36 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
The Act reduces the maximum PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. from $31.60 to $25 from 1 January 2026, a $6.60 cut for general patients without a concession card.
The change is aimed at reducing prescription costs at the pharmacy counter; the impact analysis says nearly 1.2 million Australians delayed or did not fill a prescription because of cost in 2023-24.
The impact analysis says the $25 charge will improve medicine affordability for 5.1 million Australians and save general patients $784.6 million over four years from 2025-26.
The Act removes outdated references to the general-patient allowable discountA legislated discount that pharmacies could apply to PBS co-payments. The bill removes general-patient allowable-discount references because that discount is being phased out. because that discount is being phased out, while the impact analysis says pharmacies can still choose to offer discretionary discounts.
Indexation of the general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. is paused for 1 January 2026 and then resumes from 1 January 2027, calculated from the new $25 amount.
The explanatory memorandum estimates the measure will increase Commonwealth underlying cash spending by $689.1 million over four years from 2025-26.
The Bill amends the National Health Act 1953 ... to reduce the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) general co-payment (general patient charge) by $6.60, from the current amount of $31.60 to the new amount of $25.00, commencing from 1 January 2026.National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 explanatory memorandum
For many Australians, medicines are a significant cost of living pressure ... In 2023-24, nearly 1.2 million Australians delayed or did not fill a prescription because of cost.National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 impact analysis
To improve affordability of medicines for 5.1 million Australians ... General patients will save $784.6 million over four years from 2025-26, and $236.9 million per year ongoing from 2029-30.National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 impact analysis
Items 2, 3 and 4 amend section 87(2) ... related to the allowable discount which will be phased out for general patients from 1 January 2026. ... Medicines that were discounted before a co-payment reduction can still be discounted after a co-payment reduction.National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 explanatory memorandum
Indexation arrangements for the general patient charge in line with the Consumer Price Index continue from 1 January 2027. ... the reduced general patient charge of $25.00 will not be indexed on 1 January 2026.National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 explanatory memorandum
This Bill is estimated to have an impact of $689.1 million on underlying cash. ... Reducing the co-payment will result in increased government expenditure of $689.1 million over four years from 2025-26.National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 explanatory memorandum
Context
The Act is part of a sequence of PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. affordability measures rather than a broad redesign of the medicines system. Debate was mostly supportive of the $25 cap, but senators and MPs used the bill to press related concerns: medicine shortages, slow health-technology assessment reform, GP costs and dental care outside Medicare.
National Medicines Policy centres affordable access
The bill’s impact analysis links the PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. to the 2022 National Medicines Policy, which treats affordable, timely and reliable access to medicines as a core national medicines goal.
Explanatory memorandum impact analysis ↗General PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. charge falls to $30
The minister’s second-reading speech described the earlier cut from $42.50 to $30 as the largest cut to the cost of medicines in PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. history at that time.
Minister’s second-reading speech ↗Sixty-day prescriptions reduce repeat costs
The government pointed to 60-day prescriptions for many ongoing medicines as an earlier reform that saved patients money and reduced repeat pharmacy trips.
Minister’s second-reading speech ↗PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. co-payments are frozen for a year
The minister said PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. co-payments did not rise with inflation in January 2025, setting up the later decision to reset the general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. to $25 from 2026.
Minister’s second-reading speech ↗Election promise fixes the $25 target
The impact analysis says the $25 general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. was announced as a 2025 federal election commitment and was scrutinised during the campaign.
Explanatory memorandum impact analysis ↗Cheaper medicines bill enters Parliament
Mark Butler introduced the bill in the House to amend the National Health Act 1953 and set the PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. at $25 from 1 January 2026.
APH bill page and second-reading speech ↗Senate adds medicine-shortage warning
The Senate agreed to Fatima Payman’s second-reading statement noting more than 300 medicine shortages in August 2025 and calling for supply to meet Australia’s needs.
Senate division and amendment records ↗PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. co-payment cut becomes law
Royal Assent made the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Act 2025, with the whole Act commencing on 1 January 2026.
APH bill page and Federal Register of Legislation metadata ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The Senate debated the bill and agreed to an Australia's Voice second-reading statement about medicine shortages.
Second reading debate :
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The Senate considered the bill in detail after the second reading.
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
The Governor-General gave Royal Assent, turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The bill’s central $25 PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. co-payment cut drew broad support. The main criticisms were that it did not solve other barriers to medicine and health-care access, especially medicine shortages, slow medicine assessment processes, GP costs and dental care.
Most critics supported the bill or did not oppose the second reading. Their amendments mainly sought to add parliamentary statements or press the government to act on adjacent health issues.
Medicine supply shortages
Fatima Payman and Australia’s Voice argued that lower prices help only if medicines are available. Their Senate statement noted more than 300 medicines in shortage in August 2025 and called on the government to ensure supply meets Australia’s needs.
Slow access to new medicines
Coalition speakers supported the $25 charge but criticised delays in implementing Health Technology AssessmentThe process used to assess medicines, vaccines and health technologies before government funding decisions. Several critics wanted review recommendations implemented faster. review recommendations and delays in some PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. listings. Similar concerns were also raised by independent MPs during debate.
Other health costs remain
Greens speakers supported cheaper medicines but said the bill did not go far enough while dental care remains outside Medicare and many people still face GP and broader health-care costs.
Further sources
Votes
The bill passed both chambers on the voices. The counted divisions below were about amendments or procedure, not final passage.
House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Senate agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Recorded amendment and procedural votes grouped by chamber. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
House
Defeated 43 to 90. Support came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Opposition came from Labor and Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Senate
Defeated 22 to 34. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents.
Passed 28 to 24. Support came from Liberal Party, Greens, Nationals, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and One Nation.
Defeated 12 to 24. Support came from Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Liberal Party.
These are amendment votes, not the final passage vote on the bill itself. The bill passed both chambers on the voices.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Mark Butler introduced the bill as the government’s next cheaper-medicines reform, saying it would reduce the PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. from $31.60 to $25 from 1 January 2026.
Read in Hansard ↗Alison Penfold supported the $25 PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. co-payment cut while criticising the government’s wider health and cost-of-living record.
Read in Hansard ↗Monique Ryan supported the bill but called it only one step, arguing Australia also needs faster and more transparent approval and funding pathways for new medicines, vaccines and health technologies.
Read in Hansard ↗Justine Elliot supported the bill as a cost-of-living and health measure that would lower the maximum PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. to $25.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
48 speakers · 50 contributions · 48 support
“Act 1953 to cut the maximum cost of PBS medicines by 20 per cent from $31.60 to $25. It was a Labor government that created the PBS so that every Australian could afford the medicine that they needed. Now, the Albanese Labor government is continuing that legacy, strengthening and protecting the PBS for future generations. Without the PBS, many medicines woul”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“025 will help to reduce the general co-payment for PBS medicines from $31.60 to $25, effective from 1 January 2026. Having already slashed the cost of medicines with the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS in 2023, we're following that up now and going even further. Keeping the cost of medicines low is also a practical way we can h”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“. With this legislation, from 1 January next year, this will be reduced to just $25. This is more than a 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, which will save Australians over $200 million each year. It's tangible cost-of-living relief. My electorate of Gorton, in Melbourne's west, is one of the fastest growing electorates in the country. The”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ it will mean that a prescription on the PBS will cost Australians no more than $25. The last time PBS medicines cost no more than that was in 2004. As a number in this House will remember, 2004 was the year of Shrek 2, Shannon Noll and, unfortunately, the Brisbane Lions losing the grand final. Not only are these prices a classic throwback to 2004, they are ”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“contribution is capped at $31.60 this year, and under this bill it will fall to $25 from 2026. For concession card holders, the cost is $7.70. That is the power of the PBS. In countries without a scheme like this, families can be forced to ration medicines or even turn to online crowdfunding to afford essential drugs. That is not the Australian way. This bil”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“0-year history and why we're capping the cost of PBS listed medications at just $25 per script. Let me be clear: health care is not a luxury. It is not something reserved for the fortunate few. Accessible and affordable universal health care is the foundation of a decent society. Access to medicines is an essential part of this. They help us get better quick”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ccessed, thanks to a Labor government, at a cost that will be, from 1 November, $25, or $7.80 for a pensioner. These are incredible advances in health care that are supported by government action that reduces the cost of these medications to the families. When we first came into government in 2022, we began, of course, by introducing the largest cut to the c”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“es the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme general patient co-payment from $31.60 to $25 from 1 January next year. The last time PBS medicines cost no more than $25 was more than two decades ago, in 2004, and a lot has happened in those 21 years. It's sobering to realise that 2004 was the year that a young Harvard university student Mark Zuckerberg first launched”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ from 1 January next year, PBS prescriptions will cost Australians no more than $25, which was the cost of a script in 2004. I'm proud to be part of a government that has introduced 60-day prescriptions, saving time and money for millions of Australians with an ongoing health condition. I'm so proud that this government has frozen the cost of PBS medicines—t”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“alians deserve. This bill will reduce the PBS general co-payment from $31.60 to $25 from 1 January next year. As a pharmacist working in community pharmacy, I remember the indexation linked to CPI that would happen every year. This now won't happen. This is delivering on the Albanese Labor government's 2025 election commitment. A lot of the former speakers h”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“l of that. This bill will reduce the PBS general co-payment from $31.60 to just $25 from 1 January next year. It doubles down on what we've already done to make those scripts cheaper by bringing them down to $31.60. Now they're going to come down by another 20 per cent. It will slash the maximum cost of PBS medicines. This is going to make another real diffe”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“n their lives 21 years ago. For me, in 2004, which was when medicines last cost $25, I was probably midway between my two stints in our wonderful parliament. My first stint was down the road in Old Parliament House in the 1980s. I had no idea that I would be doing a second stint in this new Parliament House—as those of us who worked in Old Parliament House s”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“aceutical Benefits Scheme general patient co-payment will reduce from $31.60 to $25. The last time PBS medicines cost no more than $25 was more than 20 years ago, in 2004. Under this government, we know that downward trends are becoming increasingly common. Inflation is going down. It had a six in front of it when we came to government; now it has a two. Int”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“kes the next step by further lowering the maximum PBS co-payment from $31.60 to $25 from January 2026. The last time medicines cost no more than $25 was 2004, a long time ago. My children were about to start school in 2004. They're now well and truly adults. This is a more than 20 per cent cut in the maximum price of PBS medicines and will save Australians c”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ng the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme general patient co-payment from $31.60 to $25. From 1 January next year, Australians will pay no more than $25 for their PBS medicines. This is a saving of more than 20 per cent, and it is the first time in over two decades, since 2004, that the cost of PBS medicines will be this low. This matters. This matters to me, an”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“my mum and I and everyone sitting in this chamber tonight will pay no more than $25 for a PBS medicine. In fact, millions of Australians will benefit when they purchase their everyday medication. The PBS is a crucial part of Labor's ongoing commitment to making health care affordable, and its creation is central to the Labor story of social care, fairness an”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“simple, effective proposition: Australians will no longer have to pay more than $25 for any medicine on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Let's unpack that. For the first time in over two decades, essential medicines will be capped at $25 a script. Last time this was the case was in the early 2000s, back when we were all glued to our soapbox, watching Kath”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“tient co-payment for medicines listed on the PBS will be reduced from $31.60 to $25 per script. Remember, when we came to office, that figure was $42.50. We reduced it to $30 in 2023; now, it will be $25. This delivers on our election commitment and our ongoing commitment to the Australian people to make medicines cheaper and support them to help with the co”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Emma Comer on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Emma Comer supported the bill as a cost-of-living and health measure that would lower the maximum PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. to $25.
“ system, that's over $1,500 a year just for essential medications. With the new $25 cap she will save $300 annually. That is the difference between covering the medicines her children need and stretching her already tight budget even further. I met a veteran in Bracken Ridge named Joseph who had a concession card and had been paying just $7.70 per script. Th”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Emma Comer supported the bill as a cost-of-living and health measure that would lower the maximum PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. to $25.
“Take Rose, a Redcliffe pensioner who wrote to my office. She fills six scripts a month for arthritis and other health issues. Because of the freeze, she won't see her costs creep up year after year. She can plan her budget, pay her bills and still afford the medicines that keep her healthy and independent. This is the kind of practical, compassionate reform ”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“e than 1.2 million scripts, under Labor's cheaper-medicines bill, for a maximum $25 copayment. They'll save millions more. That's pensioners in Wallsend who can now afford every script on the list. It's young parents in Mayfield who don't have to choose between asthma medication for their kids and paying the water bill. It's people with chronic conditions—di”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ill before the House will reduce the PBS general co-payment from $31.60 to just $25 from 1 January next year—delivering on the promise of accessible medications at the heart of the PBS. In 2004, I had just finished high school and was an 18-year-old student studying at university. It feels like a long time ago now, but it was also the last time PBS medicatio”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“o litres of milk for well under $3, and prescriptions on the PBS were less than $25. Today, whenever I speak to people in Griffith, I hear how much time, effort and resources families are putting in to look after themselves and one another. During my campaign in Griffith I knocked on close to 15,000 doors. Since then, time and time again at my mobile offices”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I rise to speak in support of the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025, also known as the cheaper medicines bill. ... Under this bill, the maximum cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme goes down from $31.60 to $25.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“, the maximum cost of a PBS prescription for general patients will fall to just $25. That is the lowest price in more than 20 years. The last time medicines were this affordable was 2004—again, under a Labor government. This reform builds on Labor's record of delivering cheaper medicines, and what an impressive record that is. In January 2023, the Labor gove”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“as very disappointing for some. But it was also a time when medicines cost just $25, and that's what we seek to do with this bill—to make sure that Australians can get the health care that they need at a reasonable price, giving real cost-of-living relief to millions of Australians. We know that the measures we have taken so far have already saved Australian”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“him again in January, when the general patient co-payment drops to a maximum of $25. As of 31 July, people in Tangney have already saved more than $11 million with cheaper medications. Now, with this bill, they will save even more. This bill delivers on the Albanese government's 2025 election commitment. This bill reduces the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme—P”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“already a great system, but we can do better. This bill reduces the cap down to $25. That means that, when you pick up a PBS medicine, you will not pay any more than $25. Now, $6.60 might not sound like a lot at first glance, but let me put it into perspective for everybody here. If your sixpack of beer dropped down from $31.60 to $25 overnight, the whole co”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“son, Robert, in his arms—remember that one? And PBS medicines cost no more than $25. Twenty-one years later and the Albanese Labor government is reducing the cost of medicines to 2004 prices. When we came to government in 2002, the cap on PBS medicines was $42. In 2023, we dropped that to $30. Now, as promised during the election campaign, we have dropped th”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ow what else was true in 2004? Back then the maximum cost of a PBS medicine was $25. Here's the frustrating part: for the nearly two decades since, the costs have kept going up, while the wages of everyday Australians have barely moved. Medicines, bills and rent have gone up; wages have stagnated. This was the reality before Labor came to power in 2022, and ”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“this type of support, through medicines, is critical to people's lives and their health care. It's fundamental. We on this side are proud to be the party and the government that protects Medicare and delivers cheaper medicines.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“harmaceutical Benefits Scheme general patient co-payment, again, from $31.60 to $25. The last time medicines were this cheap was in 2004! That was my last year of high school at Danebank. I was living in Hurstville and didn't have a licence. Me and my mates were trying to go and watch the film Mean Girls at Hurstville Westfield. Do you remember that? Trent B”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“me they fill a script. The PBS general co-payment will drop from $31.60 to just $25. That's direct, immediate cost-of-living relief where it's needed most. This is the fifth wave of medicine affordability reform under this government, and it builds on real results. In July 2022, we cut the PBS safety net for concession card holders, delivering 73 million add”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“es the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme general patient co-payment from $31.60 to $25 on 1 January next year. This is delivering on the Albanese Labor government's 2025 election commitment. Twenty-five dollars is the lowest Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines have cost in over 20 years, and this is another key cost-of-living measure delivered by our gover”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ bill cuts the maximum cost of a PBS script for general patients from $31.60 to $25. Those are real savings on the pharmacy bill every month for five million Australians. The last time a script cost $25 was in 2004. If you'd handed me $25 in 2004 I would have taken it straight to the Bosco primary tuckshop and bought 25 Paddle Pops—not all of them chocolate;”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Mark Butler on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Minister's second reading speech
Mark Butler introduced the bill as the government’s next cheaper-medicines reform, saying it would reduce the PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. general patient chargeThe maximum amount a patient without a concession card normally pays for a PBS medicine before any brand premiums or other special charges. from $31.60 to $25 from 1 January 2026.
“, the maximum Australian general patients will pay for PBS medicines drops from $31.60 to just $25—a saving of more than 20 per cent. The last time a general patient's PBS co-payment was $25 was in 2004, over two decades ago. The amendments made by this bill will ensure that all Australians who don't hold a concession card will have access to more affordable”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Mark Butler summed up by saying the bill would save general patients more than $200 million a year while keeping the PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. sustainable for new listings and other health priorities.
“g more affordable medicines to Australians, with savings to general patients of over $200 million per year. The speeches we have heard in the debate on this bill in this place remind us why cheaper medicines are so important. The member for Bass, for example, spoke of pharmacists in her electorate who had shared stories with her of parents standing at their ”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“ cheaper medicines even cheaper, with a script to cost Australians no more than $25 under the PBS. This bill implements the government's 2025 election commitments to reduce the PBS general patient co-payment from $31.60 to $25. The last time that PBS medicines cost no more than $25 was, as we have heard many times, in 2004. Labor's health policies are very i”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“e know that there's an old saying that my mum used to say and others have too: 'Nothing goes down in price.' Guess what. Under this government the price of medicines goes down not once but twice and by big amounts. They will be the same price as they were in 2004, more than 20 years ago. In addition to that, we have frozen the cost of medicines at $7.70 unti”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ll, the most you will pay for a script on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is $25—just 25 bucks—the lowest amount since 2004. Let me take you all back to 2004 for a moment. The hit TV show Friends was in its final season. Usher was top of the charts with 'Yeah!' featuring Lil John and Ludacris. Google launched Gmail, and Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook in”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ determined to do more to make medicines even cheaper. This Bill represents the fifth wave of reform to deliver cheaper medicines. As a result of the changes made by this Bill, the maximum Australians will pay for PBS medicines drops from $31.60 down to $25.00, which is a saving of nearly 21 per cent. The last time a general patient's PBS co-payment was belo”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, or the PBS, will cost Australians no more than $25 from 1 January next year. This is a more than 20 per cent cut to the maximum cost of PBS medicines, which will save Australians over $200 million each year. The last time that PBS medicines cost no more than $25 was back in 2004—21 years ago. It means that pensioners and conc”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“e medicines cheaper. From 1 January next year, no Australian will pay more than $25 for a prescription on the PBS. Think about that for a moment. The last time medicines were this affordable was more than 20 years ago, in 2004. That is not just numbers on the page; it's a real, tangible cost-of-living measure that will make a difference in people's lives. We”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“avering support for the reduction in the cost of PBS medications from $31.60 to $25. Picture this: you are someone who has been living with a chronic illness, whether that be hypertension or asthma; or maybe you're the parent of a child living with an illness that requires constant medication; or—this might ring true for many of us here today—you're supporti”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“m to $32 per general script, and from 1 January next year it will fall again to $25 a script. The last time medicines were $25 a script was in 2004. Do you know what else was big in 2004? Shannon Noll exploded onto the scene with his hit, 'What About Me?' Ian Thorpe cemented his greatness at the Athens Olympics, winning more gold medals, and Facebook was fou”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“t worrying about the cost. From 1 January 2026 no Australian will pay more than $25—or $7.70 with a concession card—for a general PBS script. That is a cut of more than 20 per cent, saving Australians over $200 million every single year. We're already seeing the impact. As of 31 July this year, Victorians alone have saved more than $425 million across 69 mil”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I rise to speak on the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill, and I'm also proud to be part of the Anthony Albanese Labor government, who continue to deliver on our election commitments. The cost of prescriptions is a significant concern for many Australians, especially those who have challenges with the cost of living. Sixty-day scripts have ma”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“election commitment to reduce the PBS general patient co-payment from $31.60 to $25. Having already slashed the cost of medicines in 2023 through the largest cut to these costs in the history of the PBS, we are now going even further with $25 medicines. This is a more than 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines that will save Australians over $”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“, thanks to Labor's plan, the maximum amount a general patient will pay will be $25 per prescription from 1 January, plus any applicable premiums. It provides immediate cost-of-living relief to patients without a concession card while also ensuring that the PBS remains a sustainable investment for government that doesn't come at the expense of priorities lik”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“) Bill 2025. This bill lowers the cost of PBS medicines for general patients to $25—the lowest it has been in more than 20 years. It will save households across the country more than $200 million every single year. The Prime Minister said we would make medicines cheaper, and that is exactly what we are doing here today. Labor believes that no-one should have”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
8 speakers · 5 support · 3 mixed
“e amendments contained in this bill are in line with the commitment made by the coalition at the last election to guarantee cheaper medicines and lower the PBS co-payment to $25. It will ensure Australians have more affordable access to medicines and treatments they need at a time when health care has never been more expensive. As a 54-year-old woman experie”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ir lives and their healthcare pathways and get the best outcome. That's why the coalition has always been such a strong supporter of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. I remember the time I was last in parliament. One of the most tragic things was when, during the previous terms of Labor governments, they deprioritised listings of medications on the Pharmac”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“not that far from Maribyrnong, in south-east South Australia in my home town of Mount Gambier. But, before I do, the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 commendably, and with bipartisan support, reduces the cost to clients of filling prescriptions. I say 'commendably', and, of course, it has bipartisan support in this place. But those opp”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“m well—and certainly on his health crusade. This bill is being supported by the coalition—although I note that it has been enhanced by an amendment put forward by the member for Lindsay, and I hope that that is very much carefully considered by the parliament. This bill is consistent with the election commitment of the government. Importantly, though, I need”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“bills, groceries and other things to keep them going. It's no surprise that the coalition will support the government on this bill because it's one that will reduce the cost of medicines to Australians, including those in my electorate of McPherson. However, I might speak to what the bill is doing. We've had a situation where medicine in Australia—I've alway”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“ment is avoiding listing medicines on the PBS. The coalition also initiated the health technology assessment review, an opportunity to look at how we can improve timely access to medicines for Australian patients. The findings of that critical review were brought down a year ago. In September 2024 the Albanese government received that review, yet they have d”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“eks to reduce that copayment to $25. It is an important change and one that the coalition supports. In fact, this bill reflects the coalition's commitment at the last election to guarantee cheaper medicines and lower the PBS copayment to $25. Right now, Australians are under extraordinary pressure. Labor's cost-of-living crisis has forced families into impos”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“are but, instead, has presided over its decline. Under the Albanese government, bulk-billing has plummeted. GP bulk-billing has fallen from 88 per cent to 77 per cent, and Australians are now paying 75 per cent more in out-of-pocket costs. In fact, 1.5 million Australians avoided seeing their GP last year because they simply couldn't afford it. The Prime Min”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 2 contributions · 1 mixed
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Jordon Steele-John, including an amendment-moving contribution. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Jordon Steele-John supported the PBSThe Commonwealth scheme that subsidises many prescription medicines so patients pay a capped amount and the government pays the rest. cut but said the bill was not enough while dental care remains outside Medicare and many people face unaffordable GP care.
“e need to be able to visit their GP for free, regardless of their postcode. And dental care must be covered through Medicare. The mouth is part of the body, and yet it continues to be excluded from Medicare. For most, going to the dentist is now entirely unaffordable. Public dental waiting lists literally don't bear looking at. We have people who are stuck f”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Moved amendment
Jordon Steele-John moved the Greens second-reading amendmentA parliamentary statement added to the motion on whether a bill should be read a second time. It can record criticism or calls for action without changing the bill text. calling for dental health care to be brought fully into Medicare, starting with a Senior Dental Benefits Scheme.
“ly into Medicare, starting with an immediate commitment to fund and implement a Senior Dental Benefits Scheme".”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
3 speakers · 4 contributions · 3 mixed
“ficant cost-of-living pressures. But, while this bill is a positive move, it is not enough. It is a bandaid on a system which requires comprehensive reform. As a paediatric neurologist who worked in a public health system for more than three decades, I know firsthand the importance of timely access to affordable and effective treatments. I also understand th”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Fatima Payman, including an amendment-moving contribution. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Fatima Payman supported the bill but argued that price cuts must be matched by action on medicine shortages, fragile supply chains and domestic medicine production.
“whether they can access those medicines at all. According to the TGA's medicine shortage reports database, as many as 373 medicines were in shortage in August this year—diabetes treatment and medicines for menopause, rheumatic fever and breast cancer. These life-saving and life-changing drugs have been among those unavailable. When shortages occur, the minis”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Moved amendment
Fatima Payman moved the Australia’s Voice second-reading amendmentA parliamentary statement added to the motion on whether a bill should be read a second time. It can record criticism or calls for action without changing the bill text. noting medicine shortages and calling on the government to ensure supply meets Australia’s needs.
“he end of the motion, add ", but the Senate: (a) notes that: (i) in August 2025 over 300 medicines were in shortage in Australia, (ii) alternatives approved during shortages are often sold out very quickly, and (iii) lowering the cost of medicine does nothing if there is no medicine for Australians to buy; and (b) calls on the Government to ensure that the s”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“ives. But, while I support this bill, I do so with a clear understanding of its limitations. This is a step in the right direction, but there are still plenty of people struggling with the cost of medicines. The general PBS safety net remains high, requiring nearly $1,700 in annual spending before additional subsidies or support apply. That's a threshold far”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate · Amendments considered
Senate debate and amendment
The Senate debated the bill and agreed to an Australia's Voice second-reading statement about medicine shortages.
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Senate · Committee of the Whole debate
Committee of the Whole debate
The Senate considered the bill in detail after the second reading.
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal Assent, turning the bill into an Act.
