A Milestone for Women’s Health: NASOG’s Petition Tabled in Parliament

On Monday, 25 August 2025, the NASOG-supported parliamentary e-petition (EN7227) calling for O&G services to be included in the Private Health Insurance Risk Equalisation Pool (REP) was formally tabled in the Australian Parliament.

This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing campaign to end gender-based inequity in private health insurance and safeguard access to specialist-led maternity care for Australian women.

Why the REP Matters

• The REP currently excludes O&G services, meaning insurers receive no support for claims. To access private maternity care, women must take out high-cost gold-level policies, making specialist care less affordable and reducing choice.

• This exclusion is inequitable, unsustainable and unsafe. It has accelerated the closure of private maternity units, particularly in regional areas, and has placed additional pressure on already stretched public hospitals.

The recent BJOG published study addressing Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes and Health System Costs, led by Professor Emily Callander, demonstrated that continuity of specialist-led care delivers safer outcomes and lower costs than standard public care. On average, private maternity care costs the system $5,929 less per birth while delivering fewer adverse outcomes, including stillbirths, NICU admissions and severe maternal complications.

The study findings are clear illustration of the importance of improving the affordability and access of safe, collaborative, specialist-led care.

What Happens Next

Official Recording and Publication: The petition is now formally part of the public record and published on the Parliament’s website.

Referral to the Petitions Committee: In the House of Representatives, the petition is referred to the Standing Committee on Petitions, which will assess compliance with standing orders and forward it to Mark Butler, Minister for Health, Ageing, Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Ministerial Response Required: Minister Butler must provide a written response, typically within 90 days. The response will be tabled and published online.

Further Parliamentary Action: The petition could prompt debate, questions during Question Time, or committee discussions, particularly if MPs or Senators take up the issue.

Ongoing Advocacy: This is where NASOG’s voice is critical. We must maintain consistent, evidence-based advocacy to ensure the Government prioritises this reform.

Why the Petition is Pivotal

• Recognition and Visibility

  
  

  The tabling of this petition signals that inequities in private maternity care funding are now on the parliamentary agenda.

• A Platform for Change

  
  

  It provides a formal pathway for engagement with ministers, insurers and policymakers to advance constructive, evidence-backed proposals.

• Sustaining Momentum

  
  

  This milestone builds on years of advocacy, from developing financial modelling to highlighting data from the Callander Report that demonstrates the health and economic benefits of specialist-led private maternity care.

Your Membership Matters

Every policy submission, media appearance and political briefing NASOG delivers is funded and driven by financial members. Advocacy at this level takes time, expertise, and resources.

If you are already a member, Thank You—your support has helped make this milestone possible. If you are not yet a financial member, now is the time to join. Your membership ensures we can continue to:

• Present a unified, credible voice to government and industry.

• Share data and evidence, like the Callander Report, to support reform.

• Engage directly with ministers, insurers and stakeholders to secure sustainable solutions for our profession and our patients.

Call to Action!

This petition is an important achievement, but real change will only come with ongoing, active support from across our profession.

Stand with your colleagues. Stand for your patients. Join NASOG today and be part of securing a safer, fairer and more sustainable future for women’s health in Australia.

BECOME A NASOG MEMBER TODAY