Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Ballarat for her question. There has been some particularly good news in Ballarat which I will come to in a moment, but the most recent government announcement for the newest GP superclinic was in Gunnedah in New South Wales, bringing the total number of superclinics funded by the Rudd government to 36. As the member for Parkes has welcomed, funding of $4.3 million will now go towards the construction of a new facility, the Gunnedah Rural Health Centre, on the grounds of the hospital. The announcement has been met with delight by the local community, including, as I acknowledged, the member for Parkes. He called it ‘a great day for the people of Gunnedah, an exciting model and a long-held dream’.

I welcome those comments and welcome the recognition from some of those opposite that the GP superclinic strategy is delivering and will deliver to local communities. I just wonder whether the shadow minister for health is changing his view and will now support the superclinic strategy. It is a little bit difficult to tell when we do not know what his health policy is or whether he actually cares about the superclinic in his electorate. He did not bother to turn up to the sod turning for the Strathpine superclinic in Dickson. It must have been that he already knew he was moving to McPherson at that time.

Let me come back to the member for Ballarat because I was delighted last month to join her and officially open the first fully operational GP superclinic in Ballan. For this superclinic, which is really something worth this House taking note of, $1.4 million was provided by the government but the remaining $0.9 million that made up this $2.3 million project was actually raised by funds from the community. I think we should congratulate the community of Ballan for their contribution. The service is going to provide GPs, practice nurses, visiting specialists, allied health services, chronic disease management and—I think of interest to all in this House—for the first time in Ballan, a dental service. For the first time ever, a dentist will be working in Ballan, in the superclinic, courtesy of this funding arrangement.

Twenty-six GP superclinic contracts are now signed. In addition to the one in Ballan, five other services are providing interim services. For example I can advise, and I know the member for Dobell has particularly welcomed this, that the Warnervale clinic has started to provide GP services last week for the first time at its interim site. Podiatry, a diabetes educator, an exercise physiologist and pharmacy services are expected to start soon. Given that the member for Dickson was not prepared to turn up to the sod turning for his superclinic in Strathpine, I presume he will not be around for the ribbon-cutting ceremony because, of course, he checked out of Dickson months ago.

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