Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026

Ms ROBERTS (Pearce) (11:39): That's correct. Thank you. The incorporated speech reads as follows— Thank you, Deputy Speaker.

I rise today to speak in support of the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026. I do so as the Member for Pearce, a community that continues to grow and evolve, with families, retirees, small business owners, health professionals and workers who all share a common expectation of our health system. They expect that it will be there when they need it.

They expect it to be fair, accessible and reliable. And they expect that the systems underpinning their care are well governed, transparent and focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for patients. Those expectations are reasonable.

Australians rightly place enormous trust in our health system. Every day, people rely on Medicare, on general practitioners, on specialists, on allied health professionals, on nurses and pharmacists, and on the countless administrators and support staff who keep the system operating. While most people do not spend much time thinking about the legislation that underpins those services, the work we do in this Parliament helps ensure those systems remain effective, accountable and fit for purpose.

That is why this Bill deserves the support of the House. Although many of its measures may appear technical, they are important. Good legislation is not always the legislation that attracts the greatest public attention.

Often, it is the legislation that quietly strengthens the institutions Australians rely upon every day. This Bill does exactly that. It provides a modern and consistent legislative framework for Commonwealth health incentive programs, strengthens governance arrangements, improves compliance mechanisms and updates the legislative architecture supporting the administration of Medicare.

Those are sensible reforms. Health policy is often judged by the services people receive, and rightly so. But behind every consultation, every health assessment and every patient interaction sits a framework of legislation, administration and accountability.

When those foundations are clear and robust, the system functions more effectively. When they are outdated or fragmented, unnecessary complexity can emerge for governments, providers and ultimately patients. This Bill recognises that reality.

For many years, Commonwealth incentive programs have played an important role in encouraging quality care, preventive health and better health outcomes across Australia. They support providers to deliver services that improve the health of patients while strengthening the broader health system. As healthcare continues to evolve, it is appropriate that the legislative framework supporting those programs evolves as well.

One of the strengths of this legislation is that it establishes a clearer statutory basis for the operation of these programs. Rather than relying on arrangements that have developed over time, the Bill provides greater certainty about how incentive payments are administered, monitored and governed. That certainty benefits everyone.

It benefits government because programs operate within a clearer legislative framework. It benefits healthcare providers because expectations are more transparent and administrative arrangements are more consistent. Most importantly, it benefits patients because confidence in the integrity of the health system is strengthened.

Public confidence matters. Australians expect that public funds are administered responsibly. They expect that incentive payments supporting healthcare delivery are subject to appropriate oversight and accountability.

They expect that programs funded by taxpayers operate according to clear rules and deliver public value. Those are entirely reasonable expectations. This Bill helps meet them.

It introduces a more coherent approach to administering Commonwealth incentive programs while providing appropriate compliance mechanisms that protect the integrity of those programs. Some people hear the word "compliance" and assume it simply means additional regulation. But good compliance is not about creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

Good compliance provides confidence that public programs are operating as Parliament intended. It protects taxpayers. It protects honest providers.

And it protects the integrity of Australia's health system. That integrity becomes increasingly important as our healthcare system grows in scale and complexity. Australia's health system is one of our nation's greatest strengths.

It combines universal Medicare with a highly skilled health wo�kforce, world-class research and innovation, and partnerships across primary care, hospitals, community health and private providers. Maintaining that system requires more than funding alone. It requires legislation that keeps pace with changing models of care.

It requires governance arrangements that provide certainty. And it requires accountability that gives both providers and patients confidence that public resources are being used appropriately. This Bill contributes to those objectives.

It also recognises something important about modern public administration. Legislation should be clear. Programs should operate according to transparent statutory authority.

Administrative arrangements should be understandable. And governments should continually review whether existing legislative frameworks remain fit for purpose. That is good governance.

These principles are not abstract. They shape how effectively governments deliver services and how confidently providers engage with Commonwealth programs. For healthcare providers, certainty matters.

Doctors, nurses, allied health practitioners and practice managers already navigate an increasingly complex healthcare environment. They should be able to participate in Commonwealth incentive programs knowing that those programs are supported by a clear legislative framework with transparent rules and consistent administration. Providing that certainty allows clinicians to focus on what matters most: caring for patients.

In Pearce, I regularly meet healthcare professionals who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to their communities. Whether they are working in general practice, community pharmacies, aged care, specialist clinics or allied health settings, they are united by a commitment to improving people's lives. They work long hours.

They manage increasing demand. They adapt to changing technologies and evolving models of care. They deserve systems that support rather than complicate their work.

Legislation such as this helps achieve that objective. It is also worth recognising that the Bill includes the renaming of the Health Insurance Act 1973 as the Medicare Act 1973. While that may appear to be a relatively modest change, names matter.

For generations of Australians, Medicare has become synonymous with universal healthcare. It is one of the country's most recognised public institutions. Aligning the title of the legislation with the system Australians know reflects both clarity and common understanding.

It makes the legislation more accessible and more readily understood by the community. Good legislation should not be unnecessarily confusing. Where improvements can be made to clarity and accessibility, Parliament should support them.

This legislation does exactly that. Importantly, this Bill should also be viewed within the broader context of strengthening Australia's healthcare system. Healthcare is not static.

Medical technology changes. Clinical practice evolves. Patient expectations continue to develop.

Population growth and demographic change create new challenges for governments at every level. Legislation must evolve alongside those changes. That does not always require sweeping reform.

Sometimes it requires careful, practical improvements that strengthen existing systems while preserving what Australians value most. This Bill represents precisely that kind of reform. It builds upon existing arrangements rather than replacing them.

It improves governance without disrupting patient care. It strengthens administration without changing the fundamental principles that underpin Medicare. That is sensible public policy.

Good governments understand that effective reform often occurs incrementally. Small improvements, consistently pursued, can produce significant long-term benefits. Strengthening legislative frameworks.

Improving accountability. Providing greater certainty. Modernising administration.

These may not always dominate public debate, but they contribute meaningfully to stronger public institutions. In many respects, this reflects the broader responsibility of Parliament. Our responsibility is not simply to respond to immediate challenges.

It is also to ensure that the legislative foundations supporting essential public services remain robust for the future. Australians expect that of us. They expect Parliament to maintain the institutions that serve them well.

They expect legislation to be contemporary. They expect governments to administer public programs responsibly. And they expect taxpayer funds to be managed with integrity.

This Bill reflects those expectations. Of course, legislation alone does not deliver healthcare. People do.

Every day across Australia, health professionals demonstrate remarkable skill, compassion and professionalism. General practitioners build long-term relationships with families. Nurses provide care in hospitals, aged care facilities and community settings.

Pharmacists offer trusted advice and accessible healthcare services. Allied health professionals help people recover, maintain independence and improve quality of life. Specialists deliver highly skilled treatment across every field of medicine.

Behind them stand thousands of administrative staff whose work keeps appointments running, records maintained and services delivered. All of them contribute to Australia's healthcare system. All of them deserve legislative frameworks that support their work.

This Bill contributes to that objective by ensuring Commonwealth incentive programs operate within a clearer and more consistent statutory framework. Ultimately, however, health policy is always about people. It is about ensuring Australians have confidence in the institutions that support their care.

It is about maintaining systems that are transparent, accountable and well governed. It is about ensuring governments remain responsible stewards of public resources. And it is about creating conditions in which health professionals can continue delivering high-quality care to communities across our nation.

For the people of Pearce, these principles matter. Ours is a growing electorate with increasing demand for quality healthcare services. Families raising young children, older Australians planning for retirement, people managing chronic conditions and individuals seeking preventive care all rely on a healthcare system that is stable, trustworthy and responsive.

They may never read the legislation debated in this chamber, but they experience its effects through the services they receive. That is why getting the legislative framework right matters . The measures contained in this Bill strengthen the governance of Commonwealth health incentive programs, improve accountability, modernise administration and reinforce confidence in the systems that support Medicare.

They are practical reforms. They are balanced reforms. And they are reforms that will help ensure Australia's health system continues to operate effectively into the future.

I also acknowledge the many organisations, health professionals and public servants who contribute to developing and administering these programs. Public policy is strongest when informed by practical experience, careful consultation and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for Australians. This legislation reflects that approach.

It is measured. It is considered. And it strengthens the legislative foundations supporting one of Australia's most important public institutions.

Deputy Speaker, Australians rightly value Medicare. They value a health system built on fairness, accessibility and quality care. Maintaining that system requires ongoing attention not only to frontline services but also to the legislative and administrative frameworks that support them.

This Bill demonstrates that commitment. It modernises important aspects of our health legislation. It strengthens governance.

It improves accountability. It provides greater certainty for providers. And it reinforces public confidence in the administration of Commonwealth health programs.

For those reasons, I commend the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026 to the House, and I support its passage. Thank you.