EVAN WALLACE HOST: Let's talk about what brought you to Launceston this afternoon. You've said from November that we improved access to affordable IUDs and birth control implants. Does that mean that the insertion and removal of IUDs will now be bulk billed?
REBECCA WHITE, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGED CARE The Albanese Labor Government is investing a significant amount of money in women's health to ensure that women have choice and affordability and better health options so that they can live a great life. On the 1 November, we are making changes to the Medicare rebate for long-acting reversible contraceptives, and we're here at Family Planning. Launceston because they've been a key partner with the Australian Government in delivering services to women here in Tasmania.
TOM CONNELL, HOST: Well, Labor has backed down today on plans to increase taxes on super accounts of more than $3 million. Major changes being made, joining now the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman, thank you for your time today. So, the reason given today was 'stakeholder feedback.' There was a lot of stakeholder feedback as soon as this was announced. Labor still took it to an election unchanged. What's actually changed since the election?
Tasmanian women are set to benefit from cheaper medicines and better health care thanks to the next stage the Albanese Government’s landmark $792.9 million Women’s Health Package.
From 1 November 2025, further changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) will give women more contraceptive choice by making it cheaper and easier for them access IUDs and contraceptive implants.
These changes to MBS will remove cost and access barriers so that more women — including those in regional and rural areas — can choose the contraceptive option that works best for them.
The Albanese Labor Government is delivering on its commitment to build a Nutrition Workforce in remote First Nations communities.
The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) has signed an agreement with the Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation (ALPA) to lead the initiative, which will train and engage more than 100 locally employed staff in remote stores.
Nutrition Workforce staff will play an important role in communities, embedded in remote stores to provide culturally appropriate health promotion and nutrition messaging.
The Australian Government has re-appointed the Honourable Justice Jenny Blokland AO as Aboriginal Land Commissioner for a further two years.
Justice Blokland has been in the position since September 2023 and is a highly respected Supreme Court Judge in the Northern Territory.
Justice Blokland is also a Governing Council and Executive Committee Member of the Australian Judicial Officers Association, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and former Council member of the Judicial Council on Cultural Diversity.
TOM CONNELL, HOST: Welcome back an eventful week in the Middle East and, of course, Washington. President Donald Trump says his twenty-point Gaza peace plan has been agreed to. The question is, of course, will it hold? Joining me now the Assistant Minister to Prime Minister Pat Gorman, who loves to make bold predictions on the Middle East. Is this good to go? This will be held to? Both parties, both sides?
JAYNE AZZOPARDI, HOST: Welcome back. Australia's Jewish community has been met with a vicious tide of antisemitism on the second anniversary of the October 7th attacks. Fresh graffiti in Melbourne proclaiming glory to Hamas, while two men were arrested in Sydney accused of pointing a gun at a popular synagogue from inside a moving truck. Joining us to discuss today's headlines is Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy and Nationals Senator Matt Canavan. Good morning to you both.
The Albanese Government has provided $3.2 million over four years to Red Nose Australia to deliver the ‘Healing Through Community’ project, supporting families through stillbirth and miscarriage.
Each year in Australia, more than 110,000 families experience the heartbreak of stillbirth or miscarriage.
Healing Through Community resources support stillbirth and miscarriage bereavement care services for First Nations families, multicultural families, refugee and migrant communities, women and families living in rural and remote areas, and women younger than 20 years.
The Albanese Labor Government is delivering on its commitment to ease cost of living pressures in remote First Nations communities, with stores across the Northern Territory now offering cheaper groceries for customers.
More than 50 Northern Territory remote stores, in communities such as Croker Island in the north, Aputula in the south, and Atitjere in the east, are accessing cheaper groceries through the Low-Cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme.