Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025

Senator DAVID POCOCK (Australian Capital Territory—Independent ACT Whip) (09:53): I'd like to commend the government on their changes to the scope of practice for nurses. This is a very welcome change. I want to acknowledge everyone who's been pushing for this change for many years now—the hard work that has gone into making the case and building up the evidence base—and the government for actually going ahead with it.

I am confused, though, about the government's reluctance to allow prescriptions from podiatrists to be covered by the PBS. As Senator Ruston said, this is already happening—podiatrists can prescribe, but Australians just have to pay a lot more. Here in Canberra, where we have a shortage of GPs, it's very hard to get in to see a GP—at short notice it's almost impossible—and we have the highest gap fee in the country.

We have an average 50-buck gap fee. We're essentially saying to mostly older Australians who go and see their podiatrist and have something prescribed that they now need to book in to see a GP and go to the GP to get the script that the podiatrist gave them prescribed by the GP so they're covered by the PBS. We hear a lot about productivity.

We hear a lot about the cost of living. We hear a lot about caring for older Australians. It seems like such a sensible move for the parliament to say, 'Podiatrists are already prescribing; we accept that; it's working well; we're simply going to cover those prescriptions with the PBS.' I really think we need an explanation from the government as to why they're not backing this change.

This seems like evidence based policy. It seems like it's in the best interests of all Australians and builds on the health system that we have. On behalf of Canberrans, I want to raise my concerns about a government that won't back an amendment from the Senate that I think is clearly in line with what most Australians would probably already think happens—if you can prescribe, you're covered by the PBS.