Andrew Leigh

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
DOORSTOP PRESS CONFERENCE
INFINITY MEDICAL CENTRE GUNGAHLIN
WEDNESDAY, 29 JULY 2026

SUBJECTS: New fully bulk billing GP clinic now open in Gungahlin

ANDREW LEIGH: G’day, my name is Andrew Leigh – the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, and the Member for Fenner. I would like to thank Dr Boniface Ochayi, Practice Principal and Owner and the team here at Infinity Medical Centre for showing us around today. 

This is one of three fully bulk billing centres funded by the Commonwealth Government in order to boost bulk billing in the ACT. Labor built Medicare, and Labor has always sought to strengthen it. Under the Coalition, we saw bulk billing rates decline in Canberra and Labor has set about turning that around. We've increased the incentives for bulk billing individual patients and we've increased the incentives for becoming a fully bulk billing practice. 

It is now not only in the interest of patients but also of doctors for Canberra practices to switch from mixed billing to being fully bulk billing. What we've seen over the time that Labor has been in office is the number of fully bulk billing practices in my electorate of Fenner more than tripled from two to seven. Now with the opening of this practice, people are able to see a doctor in the heart of Gungahlin by just showing their Medicare card, not their credit card. That's good for them because people are able to see a doctor before a small problem turns into a big one and it's good for the whole community because someone with a sniffle gets it seen to before they pass on a serious cold to their co-workers. So this is great for health, great for productivity, and terrific for cost of living here in Canberra.

JOURNALIST: So the ACT obviously still has the lowest bulk billing rates in the country. When can we expect to be on par with the rest of the country?

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

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RADIO INTERVIEW
ABC RADIO CANBERRA, BREAKFAST WITH ROSS SOLLY
WEDNESDAY, 29 JULY 2026

SUBJECTS: New fully bulk billing GP clinic now open in Gungahlin; voluntary assisted dying; Voices of Belconnen and Gungahlin

ROSS SOLLY: Good news for people in Gungahlin this morning. A new fully bulk billing GP clinic is going to open today. Andrew Leigh is the local member, the Member for Fenner, and he joins us this morning. Andrew Leigh, good morning to you.

ANDREW LEIGH: Morning Ross, great to be with you.

ROSS SOLLY: Good to have you on the show as well. So, how many fully bulk billing GP clinics are there now in your electorate?

ANDREW LEIGH: Now in my electorate, we're up to seven, which is triple the number when we came to office. We're seeing fully bulk billing clinics opening right across the ACT, including these three which have been two directly funded by the Commonwealth Government in Tuggeranong, Woden Valley and Gungahlin. Labor built Medicare, and so Labor now wants to restore bulk billing to the ACT after a long period in which bulk billing rates were sliding under the former government.

ROSS SOLLY: So, is there any reason why anybody couldn't get access to a bulk billing GP anymore in your electorate, do you think?

ANDREW LEIGH: Well, now there's many popping up. According to the financials that we've got, it makes sense for more clinics to be shifting to bulk billing and I hope that more of those mixed billing clinics will make the shift. Bulk billing is important for people to be able to see a doctor and ensure that a small problem doesn't turn into a big one. Being able to see a bulk billing doctor can mean that you get on top of a sickness before you pass it on to others. That's good for the whole community.

ROSS SOLLY: One of the issues has been, Andrew Leigh, finding doctors who want to work in bulk billing clinics. And it's certainly been a problem here in the ACT. The new one that's opening up today, have you already got the doctors lined up? Do we have enough doctors to staff all the bulk billing clinics?

Senator The Hon Katy Gallagher 
Minister for Finance
Minister for Women
Minister for the Public Service
Minister for Government Services
Senator for the Australian Capital Territory

The Hon Mark Butler MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
Minister for Disability and the NDIS

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury
Member for Fenner 

New Fully Bulk Billing GP Clinic Now Open In Gungahlin

Wednesday, 29 July 2026

The Albanese Government is increasing access to free health care in the Australian Capital Territory with the opening of a new fully bulk billing GP clinic, across two sites in Gungahlin.

The first Infinity Medical Centre Gungahlin site to open is Unit 1/61 Anthony Rolfe Avenue, Gungahlin. The second site opening in Gungahlin will be announced shortly.

Two other fully bulk billing clinics in the ACT opened in June in Tuggeranong and Woden Valley.

These new clinics are funded by the Albanese Government to help attract more GPs to the ACT and give residents better access to primary healthcare services.

The new ACT Bulk Billing GP practices are commissioned by the Capital Health Network, the Primary Health Network for the ACT.

There are now 24 fully bulk billing practices in the ACT, with 8 switching from mixed billing following government funding to strengthen Medicare.

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

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TV INTERVIEW
ABC AFTERNOON BRIEFING, WITH PATRICIA KARVELAS
TUESDAY, 28 JULY 2026

SUBJECTS: Fuel excise; ICAC; Victorian Government

PATRICIA KARVELAS: I want to bring in my political panel for today. Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury. Mary Aldred is the Liberal MP for Monash. Welcome to both of you. 

ANDREW LEIGH: Thanks Patricia. G'day Mary. 

MARY ALDRED: Hello Andrew.

PATRICIA KARVELAS: I'm going to start on, if we can, the fuel excise because a lot of motorists across the country will be wondering about this one. The government has held firm, Andrew Leigh, that the excise will expire by the end of the week. But the fuel crisis isn't over. How does that work? The war's not over?

ANDREW LEIGH: Well Patricia, the principal driver of fuel prices is the international oil price and that's been yo-yoing around. It was around $60 before this war, went up briefly to around $110. Last week it was close on $90. Now it's back towards $80. So we do know that that flows through to the pump with every $10 increase of the barrel price translating into about [ten cents] a litre at the bowser. 

We provided that fuel relief discount, but you can't provide that forever. And that's why we've responsibly stepped it down, alongside the tax cuts that we delivered to all taxpayers from 1 July, the minimum wage and award wage increases and the extension to paid parental leave, which ensures that there's that other cost of living support flowing to Australian households. 

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
2CC RADIO CANBERRA, BREAKFAST WITH STEPHEN CENATIEMPO
TUESDAY, 28 JULY 2026

SUBJECTS: Four Corners investigation into food fraud; supermarkets; One Nation; political donations; Voices of Belconnen and Gungahlin

STEPHEN CENATIEMPO: Alright, time to talk federal politics with the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury and the Member for Fenner, Dr Andrew Leigh. Andrew, good morning.

ANDREW LEIGH: Good morning Stephen, great to be with you.

STEPHEN CENATIEMPO: There's a couple of things I want to talk about this morning. One thing that – there's been an investigation into the Australian food industry that has revealed widespread discrepancies between product labels and the actual origin of ingredients. Does this fit into your competition portfolio? Because this is a real concern. I know there's been a lot of work by successive governments to try and strengthen food labelling, but you can't, I guess, police what's in the can, can you?

ANDREW LEIGH: Well, it partly falls into consumer affairs and partly also border enforcement. So, we have fairly careful border testing, importer obligations, offshore assurance arrangements, enforcement by state and territory food regulators. Food inspection is subject to scrutiny, and importers face severe fines if food doesn't meet Australian requirements.

STEPHEN CENATIEMPO: But you're only ever going to be sort of do be able to do sort of random testing, aren't you? I mean, it's one of those things that is almost like trying to put a genie back into a bottle?

Senator The Hon Tim Ayres
Minister for Industry and Innovation
Minister for Science

The Hon Michelle Rowland MP
Attorney-General

The Hon Anika Wells MP
Minister for Communications and Minister for Sport

The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

The Hon Dr Andrew Charlton MP
Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and Digital Economy

The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

AI Consumer Safety Priorities 

20 July 2026

The Albanese Government is delivering on its plan to keep Australians safe, today outlining a series of AI safety priorities to help ensure AI works better for Australians, including young people.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way Australians work and learn, and can deliver significant economic and social benefits when shaped and harnessed well.

The National AI Plan makes clear that to fully realise these benefits, Australians must have confidence that AI is being developed and deployed safely. 

These priorities leverage and accelerate ongoing efforts to strengthen protections, increase accountability, and support the safe adoption of AI across the community and within the Commonwealth Government itself. 

The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

Experienced charity leaders appointed to Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Advisory Board

15 July 2026

The Albanese Government has appointed a new group of respected charity sector leaders to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Advisory Board, bringing together expertise from across charity law, philanthropy, governance, multicultural communities and service delivery to help ensure Australia’s charities continue to benefit from informed, independent advice.

The appointments reinforce the Government’s commitment to supporting Australia’s charity sector by ensuring it has a strong voice, strengthening capability and boosting the giving that sustains for-purpose organisations.

The Advisory Board is a part-time advisory body that supports the ACNC Commissioner by providing sector-specific advice on matters affecting registered charities.

The Government has reappointed Ms Sarah Davies AM as Chair, Ms Sara Harrup as Deputy Chair, and Mr Ian Hamm as a member, recognising their leadership and valuable contribution since their original appointment on 1 August 2023.

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
2CC RADIO CANBERRA, WITH LEON DELANEY
THURSDAY, 2 JULY 2026

SUBJECTS: Price gouging by Coles and Woolworths illegal under the Albanese Government; unfair trading practices to be banned; banning card surcharges

LEON DELANEY: The federal government has today managed to have some important legislation passed which relates to unfair trading and traps. And the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury also happens to be our local federal Member for the seat of Fenner. Andrew Leigh, good afternoon.

ANDREW LEIGH: Good afternoon Leon, great to be with you.

LEON DELANEY: Well thanks for joining us today. Let's start with this important legislation about unfair trading tricks and traps. And I know, of course, one of the big frustrations many people have is when they try to unsubscribe, often the process is made as difficult as possible. You're hoping to change that?

ANDREW LEIGH: That's right. People get sick of having to take an afternoon to cancel something that only took 30 seconds to sign up for, and as a result of our legislation passing Parliament, we're getting rid of that. The legislation also cracks down on drip pricing, which is where you get to the end of the checkout process and there's an additional compulsory fee that's added and also puts in a ban on unfair trading practices which include these sort of dark patterns that try and steer you into choices you didn't want when you're shopping online. Now, all of that's about trying to make sure that families get a better deal. Whether it's subscribing, whether it's shopping online, whether it's getting a gym subscription, all of those practices will have to comply with our new laws.

The Hon Jim Chalmers MP
Treasurer

The Hon Dr Daniel Mulino MP
Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services

The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

Stronger Penalties For Tax Misconduct

Thursday, 2 July 2026

The Albanese Government is legislating tougher sanctions in response to misconduct by tax advisors.

This is all about making our taxation system stronger, driving better behaviour and deterring misconduct.

We’re introducing a stronger sanctions framework including criminal penalties for unregistered tax preparers, new civil penalties for breaches of the Code of Professional Conduct, and increased penalty amounts.

We’re doubling the maximum duration of termination of registration to 10 years and giving the Tax Practitioners Board new powers to issue infringement notice penalties, enter into enforceable voluntary undertakings and impose contingent and interim registration suspensions.

The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

Unfair Trading Tricks And Traps To Be Banned

Thursday, 2 July 2026

The Albanese Government is continuing its strong track record of standing up for consumers, delivering one of the most significant strengthening of the Australian Consumer Law since it was created.

Following passage of the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026 in Parliament today, unfair trading practices and subscription traps will be banned from 1 July 2027.

Australians know exactly what these reforms are about because they have lived it.  Whether it’s spending half a day trying to exit a subscription that took 30 seconds to sign up, being slugged with last‑minute ‘service’ and ‘handling’ fees at checkout that weren’t previously disclosed, or being nudged and steered by online design features into decisions they wouldn’t otherwise make. Australians have had a gutful of these practices that waste their time, drain their wallets and undermine genuine choice.

We also know that the majority of businesses, especially small businesses, do the right thing and treat their customers fairly. These reforms back those businesses, ensuring they aren’t undercut by competitors who rely on tricks, manipulation and unnecessary complexity.