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

I thank the member for Ballarat for her question, particularly because she has one of the GP superclinics in her electorate, but also because I understand that the Daylesford University of the Third Age is with us in the gallery today. I hope you enjoy your experience here in the parliament. You have a very good member of parliament.

Last week I was pleased to be able to visit Ballan to be able to have a look at how the Ballan superclinic is going from strength to strength. I can tell the parliament that more than 17,600 people have presented at the Ballan superclinic since it opened late last year. Such is the demand for, as an example, optical services, which have not been provided in the community before, that they are now being offered weekly instead of monthly. Last month, as a number of people in this House would be aware, I officially opened Queensland’s first superclinic at Strathpine. This $2½ million superclinic has been delivered two months ahead of schedule. Members of the Strathpine community are now enjoying increased access to primary healthcare services, Medicare-eligible services are being bulk-billed and multidisciplinary care, on offer at the clinic, is available seven days a week.

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