Category Archives: Mark Butler

AMA president warns of ‘more illness, more loss of life’ from Covid as cases rise

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Gatherings over Easter long weekend expected to cause further increase in infections, with Victoria already 60% up in past fortnight

Covid-19 cases are expected to rise further across Australia after family gatherings over the Easter long weekend, amid warnings of increasing pressure on hospital staff and a possible new wave of infections.

Most states and territories have recorded consistent increases in cases over the past two months, with Victoria recording a 60% jump in cases in the last fortnight. On Friday the state reported 5,772 new cases over the previous seven-day period.

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Now the public has useful data on bulk-billing we can really push politicians for better healthcare

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The widely varying levels of bulk billing across Australia suggest diverse solutions may be needed to restore affordable GP services

Last year Guardian Australia’s medical editor, Melissa Davey, approached the new federal government seeking the release of GP bulk-billing statistics by electorate. Her article today reports on the process and the data she eventually received.

Health policy researchers should applaud Davey’s initiative and persistence in seeking and obtaining this data, which has not been released previously in this form.

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Fifth Covid vaccine for Australian adults to roll out later this month

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Omicron-specific dose will be available for over-18s who have not had a booster or a confirmed coronavirus case in past six months

A fifth Covid vaccine dose will be made available to Australian adults from later this month.

The health minister, Mark Butler, has announced all adults who have not had a booster or a confirmed case of Covid-19 in the past six months will be eligible for another dose from 20 February, after the government accepted the advice of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (Atagi).

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Mark Butler says increase to Medicare rebate ‘not off the table’

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Health minister hits back at criticism from AMA that government report had no immediate recommendations to help Australians access more affordable care

The health minister, Mark Butler, says an increase to the Medicare rebate is not off the table, as the federal government tries to address problems in Australia’s healthcare system.

Butler has also hit back at criticisms a Medicare review initiated by the government did not have tangible recommendations to provide immediate relief.

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Australian health minister suggests pre-flight China tests designed to make Beijing share more data on Covid outbreak

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Mark Butler signals measure could be lifted if China provides ‘real-time uploading’ of genomic sequencing of cases

Australia’s health minister says he wants pre-flight Covid testing for travellers from China to be “temporary”, suggesting the requirement could be lifted if Beijing shares more information about its outbreak.

Mark Butler suggested on Thursday – the first day of the new testing regime – that the measure was put in place as part of an international push for China to provide real-time data on the genomic sequencing of Covid cases.

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State premiers united in pushing for Medicare overhaul, Dominic Perrottet says

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NSW leader says counterparts will back moves to fix national health system, after raising issues with access to bulk-billing GPs

The New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, believes all state and territory leaders will be united in pressuring the federal government to overhaul Medicare and healthcare services through national cabinet.

Dominic Perrottet and his Victorian counterpart, Daniel Andrews, came out in agreement this week on calling for better integration between primary care and public health systems across the country.

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Paxlovid ‘last drug in the cupboard’ for Covid as variants in Australia evade other treatments

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New study finds most medications are ineffective against strains currently circulating but thankfully full vaccination still offers protection

The antiviral Paxlovid is the “last drug left in the cupboard” to treat people vulnerable to severe disease and death from Covid-19, a leading virologist says.

The message from Associate Prof Stuart Turville is particularly concerning given the variants circulating now are adept at evading antibodies.

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Labor flags wastewater tests on inbound planes as mandatory Covid checks for China arrivals resumes

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Health minister defends country-specific testing as necessary due to ‘absence of comprehensive information’ on Covid’s spread in China

Australia is planning to introduce wastewater testing for incoming flights in an attempt to gather more information about the possible entry of new Covid variants.

The health minister, Mark Butler, announced the measure on Monday in a round of interviews defending the decision to reimpose pre-flight Covid testing for passengers from China as necessary because of a “absence of comprehensive information” about the disease in China.

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Australia’s fertility rate rebounds to pre-Covid levels but Jim Chalmers issues warning on ageing population

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Federal government’s population statement forecasts births for 2021-22 will be 1.66 babies per woman

Australia’s fertility rate rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2020-21, according to a snapshot from the federal government’s latest population statement.

In 2020-21, the fertility rate was 1.66 babies per woman, similar to the rate recorded in 2018-19. In 2019-20, the rate had fallen to 1.61 babies per woman.

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Australia imposes mandatory Covid tests for travellers from China amid fears of diplomatic backlash

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Health minister Mark Butler argues decision ‘will not come as any surprise to the Chinese government’

Australia will impose mandatory Covid-19 testing for travellers arriving from China after a spike in cases in the tourism and business market.

The Australian health minister, Mark Butler, announced on Sunday that travellers from China would need to take a Covid test within the 48 hours before travel and show evidence of a negative result before entering Australia, starting from 5 January.

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Experts decry Labor’s ‘appalling’ plan cut to number of Medicare psychologist sessions

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Health minister maintains reform is needed and other mental health advocates back wholesale changes to Better Access system

The federal government is under pressure to scrap controversial plans to halve the number of annual Medicare-backed psychologist appointments, amid claims it has disregarded a key finding of the top level report it relied upon to justify the decision.

The health minister, Mark Butler, maintains reform of the Better Access system is needed, saying the former government’s model led to ballooning wait times and denied access to new patients and those on low incomes.

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Federal Covid plan: some free PCR tests to require referral and number of mental health sessions cut by half

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AMA concerned by ‘significant disincentives’ to virus testing and psychologist body ‘bitterly disappointed’

Some free Covid PCR tests will require referrals and Medicare-supported psychologist sessions will be reduced by the federal government under changes to Covid management that suicide prevention groups have called “baffling”.

The national Covid-19 health management plan for 2023, released on Monday, outlines federal government plans for handling the pandemic next year. The health minister, Mark Butler, said Labor was investing $2.8bn to manage the virus, with measures including vaccine procurement, public information campaigns, hospital funding and plans for aged care and multicultural communities.

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Australian government to crack down on nicotine e-cigarettes as rates of teen vaping skyrocket

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Exclusive: Guardian investigation finds many children do not know they are consuming highly addictive nicotine in vapes until it is too late

So many Australian children are now addicted to nicotine from vaping that the federal health minister, Mark Butler, will propose reforms aimed at curtailing the e-cigarette industry.

Many children do not know they are consuming the highly addictive chemical until it is too late, experts say.

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More monkeypox jabs arrive in Australia to boost vaccination rate ahead of WorldPride events

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New advertising campaign encourages those at higher risk of infection ‘to look out for symptoms and get vaccinated if eligible’

The federal government has launched a new national advertising campaign to promote monkeypox vaccination to a “post-Covid and vaccine-fatigued audience”.

The health minister, Mark Butler, will also announce on Monday that a second shipment of almost 40,000 vials of the monkeypox vaccine Jynneos has arrived in Australia and will be made available through the states and territories.

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Australia’s Covid vaccine review recommends expansion of Novavax eligibility amid fears of Moderna shortfall

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Prof Jane Halton says country has not reached ‘Covid stable’ and suggests vaccination advertising campaigns continue to 2024

Australia’s vaccination advisory body is investigating whether to expand the availability of the Novavax Covid jab, amid concerns tens of millions of doses could be wasted due to recommendations it not be used as a general booster shot.

It comes as a review of Australia’s Covid vaccine procurement found the former Coalition government’s actions were “consistent with other high-income countries”, but warned of a potential shortfall in Moderna unless the Labor government orders more supply.

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Federal Icac legislation to be introduced to parliament next week – as it happened

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Gallagher says Labor has not changed position on tax cuts

And on the stage three tax cuts, Katy Gallagher echoed the line the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, started last week and continued yesterday – which is effectively Labor playing dead on the $243bn cuts:

I have been asked this a number of times. You know, we haven’t changed our view on stage three. They don’t come in until 2024.

My sole focus at the moment is putting a budget together for October and what we can do in the short-term to relieve pressure on families. That is what I’m focused on everyday.

Well, the budget we inherited was heaving with a trillion dollars of Liberal party debt. We got deficits as far as the eye can see.

We got some programs that weren’t funded in an ongoing sense that clearly are programs that need ongoing funding.

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Rural Victorian town left without bulk-billing doctor after clinic closes doors

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Thousands of patients in Mildura region in state’s north-west are unable to access medical records or GP care

About 15,000 patients in and around the rural city of Mildura in Victoria’s north-west have been left without a bulk-billing doctor and are struggling to access their medical records.

The Tristar medical group, which owns the Mildura clinic, went into voluntary administration in May, and after the sale of the clinic to another medical group fell through earlier in August, the clinic has closed its doors.

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