Tackling pests and weeds in NSW
Landholders throughout the Federal electorate of Parkes will soon be better-equipped to tackle the scourge of pests and weeds thanks to a share in $3 million of federal funding for 23 projects across New South Wales.

This is a very welcome announcement particularly for parts of New South Wales that are suffering the effects of prolonged dry conditions.

Landholders will receive funding for measures such as cluster fencing, weed control programmes, wild animal control. This funding is to assist landholders whose farm businesses have been affected by dry conditions to fight these ongoing battles.

Each year pest animals and weeds cost our farmers around $4 billion in livestock losses, disease controls, and weed management costs. This damages our environment and impacts on agricultural productivity and the value of rural properties.

The Coalition Government is serious about helping farmers manage the impact of feral pests and weeds on our lands.

Collective action is the only way we can tackle the problem, which is why the Coalition Government is stepping in to build the capacity of landholders, communities and industry to better manage pests and weeds across New South Wales.

Limiting the impact of pests and weeds is critical to improving agricultural productivity, improving farmgate profits and protecting our environment.

We want our farmers and land managers to be ahead of the game. Improving and finding new ways to manage pest animals and weeds and ensuring people can access those tools as soon as possible is critical to driving greater returns through the farmgate.

Further information on the Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper is available at agwhitepaper.agriculture.gov.au

Further information about established pest animal and weed funding is available at agriculture.gov.au/pestanimalsandweeds

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2000 medicine brands preparing to drop in price
More than 2000 medicine brands treating common conditions will drop in price for local residents from next month, some by as much as 50 per cent or more, with the Coalition Government delivering a win-win for consumers and taxpayers.

The Coalition Government is continuing to deliver the largest ever reductions in the price of medicines for consumers across the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Patients will benefit from these innovative reforms with some people suffering multiple chronic conditions such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure and eye disease set to save as much as $400 per year on their medicine scripts.

One-in-three medicine brands on the PBS will be cheaper for some consumers by as much as $20 per script which is a great result for patients using those common medicines.

The price drops due on 1 October 2016 were the latest innovative reform to come into effect from the Coalition’s landmark PBS Sustainability Package, which passed Parliament last year.

More than 80 per cent, or about 1600 of the 2000-plus brands of medicines set to drop in price would see a direct saving to some consumers.

The remaining 20 per cent, those priced above the general PBS co-payment of $38.30, would see a saving to taxpayers instead.

In addition to saving consumers real money cash in hand, this innovative Coalition reform will also save taxpayers nearly $900 million over the next four years by ensuring Government isn’t overpaying for medicines either.

It’s a win-win for taxpayers and consumers and is another example of the Coalition Government making medicines more affordable for millions of Australians.

However, as the health needs and costs of Australians continue to increase, we still need to continue with our budget repair to protect Medicare and continue subsidising more medicines for current and future generations.

We must not have a return to Labor days where they blocked new medicines for conditions like asthma, mental health and chronic pain from being listed on the PBS because the ALP could not afford to pay for them.

Further information is available at www.health.gov.au.