While it’s been a very distressing start to the new year across the nation, my focus locally in 2026 will be providing more cost-of-living relief for South Coast families, helping to upgrade local roads and infrastructure and, of course, supporting our wonderful community organisations.

On January 1, a raft of new measures were introduced by the Albanese Labor Government to help people with the cost-of-living, including cheaper medicines, 1800MEDICARE and more mental health support.

With the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS, patients will now pay no more than $25 for a PBS script.

Pensioners and concession cardholders will continue to benefit from the freeze to the cost of their PBS medicines, with the cost to remain at $7.70 until 2030.

Australians now have even better access to free health advice with the launch of the 1800MEDICARE telehealth service and app on January 1.

Whether people need expert health advice or reassurance, they can call 1800MEDICARE and the registered nurses will be there 24/7 to provide advice and refer people to the health service they need.

Free telehealth sessions can also be arranged with a 1800MEDICARE GP via phone or video - available all weekend and weeknights between 6pm and 8am.

I know people in and around Kiama will be pleased the Albanese Government’s new national early intervention service, Medicare Mental Health Check In, is now online, providing free mental health support and care, without a diagnosis or referral.

These commitments are at the heart of Labor’s plan to strengthen Medicare, along with the tripling of the bulk billing incentive which means more fully bulk billed medical centres and more local patients seeing their GP for free. 

I’m also really pleased that the new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics at Nowra and Shellharbour will open soon, taking pressure off our hospital emergency departments.

Good news for local families, with our Three Day Guarantee for childcare rolled out on January 5, and in July of this year, our second round of tax cuts for every tax payer will kick in, with our third round of tax cuts coming in July 2027. 

All of these new measures will help people struggling with the cost-of-living and are on top of so many initiatives already taking the pressure off such as 20 per cent wiped from student debt, free TAFE and five per cent deposits to help first home buyers get into their own home sooner.

I’m proud to be your local representative in Federal Parliament and hope to see you out and about in the community soon.

Please note - this is paid content.