Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail

Opened the debate

Webster moved an amendment requiring a trial of nurse prescriber treatments in at least one state or territory, followed by a review by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, before the bill could apply. Webster argued that the bill lacked an evidence base and a funding model for primary care, contrasting it with the previous rollout for nurse practitioners which relied on years of state-level data. The amendment sought to ensure patient safety and accountability by mandating a supportive evidence base for the new model. Webster highlighted concerns about the shortage of general practitioners and nurse practitioners in regional areas to oversee the new prescribers.

Government response

Butler opposed the amendment, stating it would prevent eligible nurses from accessing PBS rebates, thereby increasing costs for patients. Butler noted that the policy had undergone nearly ten years of consultation and modelling by the nurses' board and involved doctors' groups. Butler clarified that existing workforce incentive payments supported nurse employment in primary care and that the bill allowed prescribing in various settings under medical oversight. Butler maintained that the legislation ensured patients paid PBS prices rather than market rates.