Women's Health Expansion

10 February 2025

I'm a bit sleep deprived. I woke up 2.30 this morning, fell back to sleep at about 5.30 and then the alarm went off at six. Thank you, menopause. I'm not on my own. Thousands of women are like me right across the country. For generations we've been sucking it up and putting up with it. We're saying, 'No more!' Finally, we've got a government that cares about women and their health. We are going to be more productive. We are going to make it easier and cheaper to get health care for women, and that's a good thing.

The other reason I'm a little bit tired is I had about a hundred 21-year-olds at my house on Saturday night, and those young women and young men can party. But, let me tell you, they care about their health care too. When I talk to people in my seat, when I knock on their door, they say: 'Meryl, I care about the health of my kids, my parents and myself.'

We get that health care is the No. 1 priority for most Australians. We are taking it seriously because this is a serious government that puts serious policies in place. We want all Australians to be healthy from the cradle to the grave, and we are investing in your health. We care about your health, not like those opposite who wanted to impose GP taxes and rip the money out of health. We're putting it back in right now.