Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Hinkler agrees. He is very much focused on health needs in his electorate—a very well represented electorate, I might say. The federal government is very focused on health needs in regional and rural areas. We need to deliver quality health services no matter where an individual chooses to live. In Coffs Harbour, we have seen a $3 million investment in the rural clinical school. We can encourage more people to practice medicine in regional and rural areas if we get them training there. It is a great success. The University of New South Wales is doing a great job through the rural clinical school in Coffs Harbour in training young doctors in regional areas, and hopefully they will continue to practise there when their training is done. This is underpinned by a range of other measures such as bonded scholarships and reserve places in medical schemes for people from regional and rural areas.

Another fine part of the rural health strategy is the Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program, which funds medical professional specialists in regional areas so that people can receive the services they need in their local towns and regional centres rather than having to travel to Sydney. For many elderly people in particular, a very long journey to Sydney or Brisbane to receive specialist services can be quite a daunting task, not only in the procedures they face as a result of their illness but also in having to travel a long way from home and their support networks. That is why this government is focused on delivering the services where people live. It is not focused on the metropolitan centres but on equity of access to medical services no matter where you live. In 2004-05 some eight specialist practitioners operating under the scheme provided services to 3½ thousand patients.

The government is very much focused on infrastructure and the need to provide quality medical services in regional and rural Australia. The government is very much focused on the needs of a range of communities right around the country. I am proud to be part of this government because of that. I see infrastructure as a vital priority. I know that the member for Hinkler agrees. He is very focused on physical infrastructure and telecommunications infrastructure. As secretary of the backbench policy committee on health, I am very much focused on the need for quality health services. We see equity of access and opportunity for people to receive those services as being of vital importance. So I commend these appropriation bills to the House. They form part of what is a very solid program by a responsible government which sees a strong Australia and a strong economy as major objectives and is going to continue to deliver for the Australian people.

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