‘Could be huge’: Plans to boost rent relief, prescription medicines revealed

A raft of new cost of living measures promises to help struggling renters and free up access to key medicines.

A raft of new cost of living measures promises to help struggling renters and free up access to key medicines. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

One million households across Australia will benefit this month from greater assistance from the government following an announced boost to the rental assistance scheme.

The federal government announced on Saturday it would increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 10 per cent from September 20 as part of a raft of new measures.

Aimed at curbing cost of living pressures, the package will also include making additional medicines available as 60-day prescriptions, including for acne and anxiety.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australians had already saved more than half a billion dollars after a similar medicine program introduced on January 1.

“We know people are doing it tough, which is why we are continuing to deliver real cost of living relief like cheaper medicines,” he said.

“This is real cost of living relief, putting more money back into people’s hip pockets.”

Health Minister Mark Butler said a total of 300 medicines will be available as 60-day prescriptions from September 1.

They includes common medicines for acne, asthma, depression, reflux, Parkinson’s disease, glaucoma, and more.

rime Minister Anthony Albanese said the plan would put “more money in people’s hip pockets”. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Asthma Australia Director of Health Knowledge Anthony Flynn said the move had the potential to help people “save time, money, and better manage their condition”.

“Australia has one of the highest rates of asthma in the developed world,” he said.

“Of the 2.8 million people with asthma in Australia, regular inhaled preventer therapy is recommended for the majority.

“60-day prescribing has the potential to help millions of Australians with asthma to control their condition.”

Asthma patient Kerry Goldworth said the opportunity to buy asthma medicine for her and her children “half the price could be huge”.

“So many people are struggling with the cost of living. If you’ve got more than one person with asthma in your family, or if even just yourself, this will be a real help,” she said.

The package comes as the federal government faces continued pressure over its handling of the cost-of-living crisis.

From September 20, the maximum rates of the of Commonwealth Rent Assistance will rise by a further 10 per cent following a 15 per cent increase which began last year.

The government also said it would extend the higher rate of JobSeeker to single recipients assessed to have a partial capacity to work less than 15 hours per week.
They stand to benefit from at least an additional $54.90 a fortnight, while payments will be indexed for people on JobSeeker, age and disability pension, and more.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the rent assistance would help reduce inflation. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the announced package would deliver more help for families following “tax cuts, energy rebates, ... and a wage rise for minimum wage earners”.

“The primary focus of the Albanese government is to ease the cost of living for Australians at the same time as we fight inflation in our economy,” he said.

“Treasury estimates the government’s energy bill relief and additional increase to Commonwealth Rent Assistance will directly reduce inflation by half of a percentage point in 2024–25 and are not expected to add to broader inflationary pressures.

“Inflation is still higher than we’d like, but it’s less than half its peak and much lower than the 6.1 per cent we inherited from the Coalition.

“We know there’s more to do in the fight against inflation because people are doing it tough and that’s why we’re rolling out more responsible cost-of-living relief from September at the same time as we turn big Liberal deficits into Labor surpluses.”

Originally published as ‘Could be huge’: Plans to boost rent relief, prescription medicines revealed