Opened the debate
Waters welcomed the government's decision to list some contraception and menopausal hormone therapies on the PBS, noting this would reduce costs for women. However, Waters argued that the government should have made these treatments free, citing Parliamentary Budget Office costings that indicated affordability. Waters highlighted that many positive features of the package would not take effect until after the next election. Waters expressed disappointment that the announcement did not address the accessibility and affordability of surgical abortion. Waters argued that the Commonwealth government had a responsibility to fix funding issues preventing hospitals from providing reliable abortion care.