Labor and Coalition agree – hands off the PBS, Mr Trump!

The Federal Government and Opposition are on the same page when it comes to Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and protecting it in the face of tariff threats from the United States.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have said the PBS is not up for negotiation or open to bargains even if tariffs are imposed on Australian medicines.

The pharmaceutical lobby in the US is urging President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Australian medicines because it says PBS subsidies are “egregious and discriminatory” and undermine the value of American drugs.

But Mr Albanese said that was expected behaviour from big pharma looking after the interests of big pharma, but it was not going to cause the government to buckle under pressure to change the PBS.

“The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is a source of pride for Australians. It is not up for negotiation and it certainly is not up for sale,” Mr Albanese said.

“It’s something that guarantees that people can get the assistance they need through pharmaceuticals, when they need it, at a proper and affordable cost…

“Labor will always defend the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, just like we’ll always defend Medicare.

“If you look at the policies we are implementing, proposing for our second term, they are across the board looking after people’s health.”

Mr Albanese made the point while flagging a budget initiative to make cheaper medicines cheaper with a script to cost Australians no more than $25 under the PBS.

Four out of five PBS medicines will become cheaper through a $689 million investment in next week’s Budget.

“Cheaper medicines is another way we are helping with the cost of living, while putting downward pressure on inflation – our number one focus,” he said.

“With cheaper medicines, more free GP visits and a stronger Medicare, we say to Australians: we’ve got your back.”

Mr Dutton disagreed with the Prime Minister over who was best suited to manage the economy and tackle cost-of-living pressures facing many Australians.

But when it comes to the PBS, he is singing from the same songbook.

“The protection of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme has been paramount under all free trade agreements finalised by the Coalition,” Mr Dutton said. “And it will continue to be sacrosanct under any trade agreements negotiated by a Dutton Coalition government.

“I want the Australian people to know that I will stand up and defend the PBS – which is the envy of the world – against any attempt to undermine its integrity, including by major pharmaceutical companies.

“We will work with our most important ally, the US, but we will fight against any big drug company imposing tariffs on our PBS.

“The PBS, just like Medicare, is the fundamental basis of our healthcare system, and it will always be supported, strengthened, and defended by a Coalition government.”

Mr Albanese has already committed a re-elected Labor government would make nine out of 10 visits to the doctor totally bulk-billed and free from out-of-pocket expenses by 2030.

He made the pre-election commitment last month outlining his plan to spend $8.5 billion over four years and triple the incentive for GPs to provide almost universal bulk-billing services.

He promised 18 million extra bulk-billed GP visits per year, 400 nursing scholarships and 2000 new GP trainees a year by 2028.

The Coalition immediately promised to match Labor’s Medicare commitment and rolled out its own $9 billion health investment promise in response.

Mr Dutton said he would direct funding towards more access to free GP visits with another $500 million to mental health services and training.

He subsequently outlined how he would sack 36,000 public servants to fund the Coalition’s Medicare commitment.

Health Minister Mark Butler said Mr Dutton’s track record on cheap medicines was not a good one.

“When Peter Dutton was Health Minister, he tried to make medicines cost more, not less,” Mr Butler said.

“Peter Dutton tried to jack up the cost of medicines by up to $5 a script and put free medicines for sick pensioners even further out of reach.

“In Opposition, Peter Dutton and the Liberals voted to block cheaper medicines six times.”

The last time Australians paid no more than $25 for a PBS medicine was more than 20 years ago.