Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am speaking this evening to commend to the House the MediHearts Outreach Program that is being promoted by Brisbane based cardiologist Dr Rolf Gomes. The MediHearts Outreach Program aims to revolutionise the delivery of cardiac services across regional Australia, starting with a pilot program in Queensland. Over the past six months the program has gained significant momentum, including support from within the medical fraternity and private enterprise. The program is currently under review by the federal government as part of the Health and Hospitals Fund regional priority round, and I ask that this proposal receive favourable consideration.

Cardiac disease remains the biggest contributor to the death rate and mortality for middle-aged and older Australians, including women. Even though significant advances have been made in cardiovascular health, non-urban and Indigenous Australians still endure poorer cardiac health outcomes compared to urban Australians, largely due to inequalities in the availability and delivery of cardiac services.

At its core, the MediHearts Outreach Program represents a state-of-the-art, custom designed vehicle which will visit regional towns, providing a consulting cardiologist and a full suite of non-invasive testing locally. Rural and remote health in Australia, especially the health of Indigenous Australians, should be among the top priorities of our healthcare system. I congratulate Dr Rolf Gomes on this program and I recommend it to every member of this parliament.

I would also like to take this opportunity to talk about the effects of a carbon tax on my electorate of Flynn and particularly on the city of Gladstone. With two alumina refineries, Australia’s biggest aluminium smelter, a cement works, a coal fired power station and up to four LNG plants that are new investments worth a total of about $45 billion and are ready to start or have already started this year, Gladstone becomes the ‘carbon capital’ of Australia and the area potentially most affected by a price on carbon.

When this is combined with the increased costs associated with the resource tax, Flynn is wearing a large cumulative cost. If a price on carbon is introduced ahead of the rest of the world it will damage the international competitiveness of these vital export industries which deliver thousands of jobs in Central Queensland.

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