SenateDivision 7 · 1 Sep 2025

National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 - in Committee - Further reducing general patient charge

Not passed15 aye · 27 no

What this vote was about

The majority voted against a request for amendment moved by West Australian Senator Fatima Payman (Australia's Voice), which means it failed.

Senator Payman explained that:

The amendment calls for the proposed general patient charge amount of $25 to be reduced to $20. The Pharmacy Guild advocated to reduce it to $19 for it to truly be effective for Australians who are struggling to put food on the table and pay for their medications. This would massively help them with affordability and the cost-of-living crisis.

Amendment text

That the House of Representatives be requested to make the following amendment:

(1) Schedule 1, item 1, page 3 (line 6), omit "$25.00", substitute "$20.00".

Statement pursuant to the order of the Senate of 26 June 2000

Amendment (1)

Amendment (1) is framed as a request because it amends the bill to further reduce the proposed general patient charge amount from $25.00 to $20.00. The amendment will increase expenditure to subsidise the cost of medicines above the general patient charge amount. The amendment would therefore increase the amount of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme payments made from the Medicare Guarantee Fund (Health) Special Account.

As the effect of this amendment is to increase payments made from the Medicare Guarantee Fund (Health) Special Account, it will increase expenditure under the standing appropriation in section 80 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 or in certain circumstances the standing appropriation in section 18 of the Medicare Guarantee Act 2017.

Statement by the Clerk of the Senate pursuant to the order of the Senate of 26 June 2000

Amendment (1)

If the effect of the amendment is to increase expenditure under a standing appropriation, then it is in accordance with the precedents of the Senate that the amendment be moved as a request.

Context written by They Vote For You volunteers (ODbL), reproduced unchanged.

Committee of the whole: The Senate examines a bill in detail as a committee of the whole. Divisions at this stage decide specific amendments to the bill's text.

Related bills

National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025

By party

Party	Aye	No
Australian Labor Party	1	23
Australian Greens	10	1
Pauline Hanson's One Nation	3	0
Liberal–National Coalition	0	3
Jacqui Lambie Network	1	0

Every vote

Other divisions this sitting day

What the Senate divided on around this vote, in order.

1 Sep 2025Budget — Consideration by Estimates CommitteesSenate 26–33
1 Sep 2025Budget — Consideration by Estimates CommitteesSenate 32–24
1 Sep 2025Budget — Consideration by Estimates CommitteesSenate 24–32
1 Sep 2025National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 - Second Reading - Criticism of GovernmentSenate 22–34
1 Sep 2025National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 - Second Reading - Supply of medicineSenate 28–24
1 Sep 2025National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 - Second Reading - DentistrySenate 12–24
1 Sep 2025Motions - Australia: Racism - CondemnSenate 13–38
1 Sep 2025Motions - Australia: Racism - Free speech and lawful assemblySenate 28–37
1 Sep 2025Motions - Australia: Racism - Camp SovereigntySenate 39–28
1 Sep 2025Motions - Australia: Racism - Reject and condemnSenate 39–28
1 Sep 2025Motions - Australia: Racism - Reject and condemnSenate 39–28
1 Sep 2025Documents — National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan; Order for the Production of DocumentsSenate 36–22
1 Sep 2025Matters of Urgency - Gas Industry - Fix leakSenate 12–28