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

I thank the member for Longman for his question. It is a very good question across the country, not just in the northern suburbs of Brisbane. But, of course, one of the biggest risks does currently live in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, although he is trying to get a seat somewhere else, and that is the member for Dickson. He, as the shadow health spokesperson, and the Leader of the Opposition of course do not support GP superclinics. He has not bothered to turn up and see that the improved share of services being provided to his community in Strathpine is actually something that has been welcomed with open arms. But let me go back a few steps, because there is some other good news about the superclinics program across the country which I think members would be interested in. I know the member for Gilmore, who does not appear to be in the House at the moment, would be interested to know that the new electorate of Gilmore but the current electorate of Throsby is soon to benefit from the Shell Cove superclinic. I was there today with the member for Throsby and the member for Cunningham to turn the first sod for this superclinic.

Before those opposite interject, I would like to ask whether anyone in this House, other than, of course, the two members who were with me, know how many doctors there currently are in Shell Cove, Shellharbour Village and Flinders. When this superclinic is open early next year, it will provide GP services, nursing services and allied health services, and currently in all of the three surrounding suburbs there is not a single doctor. This is the legacy that was left to us by the previous government. This has been turned around by our investments in superclinics, but unfortunately it is slated by the opposition to be closed. So future clinics that will be invested in, that were announced in the budget, have already been put on the Leader of the Opposition’s cutting list, which we know is something that the Leader of the Opposition has such a bad reputation for.

But it is not just the Shell Cove superclinic. The Parliamentary Secretary for Health and the member for Kingston last week inspected the start of work at the $25 million Noarlunga GP Plus Superclinic, which will be offering multidisciplinary care with extended operating hours. Last Wednesday I was pleased to inspect, with the member for Hasluck, the plans for the $10 million Midland GP superclinic. I inform those opposite that there was a very enthusiastic—

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