Australian news and politics recap for March 20, 2025: Hecklers interrupt Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor

Millions of Australians receiving Centrelink payments will see an increase starting today due to indexation changes that come into effect.

The boost affects over five million people, including pensioners, job seekers, and renters.

The Federal Government claims this adds between $3,913 and $5,902 annually for some recipients, depending on their eligibility, compared to 2022.

Pensioners will see a maximum single rate increase of $4.60 per fortnight, while JobSeeker recipients will also receive a boost - tipped to be between $3374 and $5038 better off per year as a result of indexation.

The indexation is designed to ensure that social security payments keep pace with rising living costs.

The announcement of a further slashing of prescription prices comes at a time when big pharma in the US is lobbying the White House to consider Australia’s subsidies as it seeks to impose reciprocal tariffs.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has written to US trade representative Jamieson Greer to complain about the PBS as an “egregious and discriminatory” pricing practice.

But Mr Albanese declared to pharmacists the push from drug manufacturers overseas was no surprise.

“Despite its success, we should not take the PBS for granted, and we are always awake to the threats to the PBS that are here, both domestically but also from overseas,” he said.

“But let me be very clear and explicit: the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is not for sale.

“Under Labor, under my leadership, it is not and will never be the subject of negotiation. It is a core part of who we are as Australians and we will proudly defend it.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has started speaking at the Australian Pharmacy Professional Conference on the Gold Coast, where he will unveil the plan to cut the cost of medicines on the PBS for a second time to ensure no one pays more than $25 for a prescription starting from 2026.

Interestingly, the only speaker listed on the formal program for the opening plenary session of the conference of some 3000 pharmacists was Pharmacy Guild head, Trent Twomey.

The PM is talking up his government’s actions already taken and promised to make healthcare cheaper for Australians.

This includes increasing bulk-billing incentives for children and concession card holders, and the $8.5 billion promise to expand this to all patients visiting GPs.

“It is healthcare that brought me into politics,” he says.

Perth MP Patrick Gorman is facing heat this morning after labelling a satirical student newspaper with a front-page cartoon that Jewish leaders said perpetuated anti-Semitic tropes as “funny”.

The annual Prosh newspaper, produced by The University of Western Australia Student Guild, has a longstanding tradition of absurd headlines and fake stories to raise money for charity.

But this year’s edition featured a front-page cartoon of tech billionaire Elon Musk bending US President Donald Trump over a desk while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu watches on.

Shortly after it hit the streets on Wednesday, the Student Guild issued an apology over the cartoon - saying it strongly opposed any degree of racism, intolerance and anti-Semitism.

Mr Gorman, who is the minister assisting the PM, had posted a picture of the paper on his Instagram, captioned with: “Sometimes funny. Always for charity”.

Health Minister Mark Butler says Labor has plans to bring dental into Medicare as part of their commitment to bolster the universal health insurance scheme.

Mr Butler confirmed the plan when asked on ABC radio on Thursday if The Greens proposal for dental care for every Australian to be put into Medicare would be something Labor would need to consider if re-elected in a hung Parliament.

“Our party would love to bring dental into Medicare at some stage. We’ve got that as part of our platform commitment,” Mr Butler said.

“But I’ve also tried to be honest with people in saying that right now our focus is on strengthening the Medicare we currently have.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done a Queensland AM radio blitz this morning to spruik his plan to slash the cost of prescription medicine in Australia to the lowest level in twenty years if re-elected.

Speaking on Nova Brisbane, he said the proposal was about helping Australians amid a cost of living crisis.

“We want to reduce the cost of medicine. The maximum cost will reduce to $25 now - that’s more than a 20 per cent cut,” he said.

The Government says it will save Australians almost $200m a year over the next four years but the pledge comes with a $689 million price tag.

His visit to the Sunshine State marks his second to the Gold Coast in the past fortnight.

The PM was in Brisbane on Wednesday, where he visited Urgent Care Clinics and thanked emergency service workers for their help during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

He is expected to attend a pharmacy guild conference on the Gold Coast on Thursday, where he will address a crowd of about 3000 pharmacists.

The PBS is “sacrosanct” and must be protected, the Coalition says, as it matches Labor’s cheaper medicines announcement and vows to stand up to the Trump Administration.

Liberal senator James Paterson says the Coalition “wants to do everything we can to improve Australians’ living circumstances and their financial means”.

He says that means ensuring the robustness of the PBS, which is under threat from big pharma in Washington.

“The PBS is sacrosanct, and it is bipartisan, and it is not on the table for any negotiations with the United States,” he told Sky News.

“As far back as the Free Trade Agreement negotiations between Australia, which was led by John Howard, with the Bush administration, there was an attempt to open up the PBS, and John Howard put it off the table and said that it couldn’t be touched and it wouldn’t be touched.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has reiterated his commitment to changing laws around citizenship and toughening Australia’s stance on offenders who have engaged in terrorist behaviour overseas.

“I am absolutely serious about keeping our country safe,” Mr Dutton told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Thursday.

“I believe we can make Australia a safer place if we can change the laws.”

People will save hundreds of dollars more under a Federal Government promise to cut the price of prescriptions for medicines on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme to a maximum of $25.

On Thursday, the Prime Minister will vow to reduce the costs to levels not seen in two decades as he locks in health and cost-of-living relief as the centrepiece of his election campaign and next week’s Budget.

The pledge comes with a $689 million pricetag and risks further infuriating tariff advocates in the Trump administration, which already has the PBS in its sights.

But the Government says it will save Australians almost $200m a year over the next four years.

Common medicines with prices slashed from January 2026 include treatments for menopause, heart disease, diabetes, ADHD and asthma.

Anthony Albanese said the move was another way to relieve pressure on household budgets while driving down inflation.

“My Government will continue to deliver cost-of-living relief for all Australians … With cheaper medicines, more free GP visits and a stronger Medicare, we say to Australians: we’ve got your back,” he said.

Read the full story.

Health Minister Mark Butler says Australians will save an extra 200 million a year from Labor’s prescription medication price slash but shared concern on how US President Donald Trump could pop the balloon.

While promoting the price drop for Aussies on Sunrise, Mr Butler was asked if he was worried Mr Trump could punish Australia for cheaper medicines.

“Well, of course, we’re concerned about this,” Mr Butler said.

“This is not a new position from Big Pharma in the US.

“They want to sell their medicines at top dollar. We want to make them cheaper. There is an inherent conflict.

“I can ensure your viewers that under a Labor Government, there is no way the PBS will be up for negotiation with any overseas government.”