Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

() (): Last week I met with Michelle Hudson and Donna White who are the hard-working management team at Shoal Bay and Anna Bay Providence Medical practice. They are at the end of their tether. Issues effecting every medical practice across the Tomaree peninsula were at the top of their list of things that they need addressed by this health minister. The single biggest issue that they raised though is the lack of GPs for areas like ours, like the Tomaree peninsula, like Nelson Bay—which is an incredible place to visit. Very sadly they cannot get GPs. In my community we are facing a crisis with this government failing to take action to support overworked GPs, who can't attract additional staff to the local area, because of the flaws in the government's model. Where in Australia is it more pertinent to have GPs than a tourism area with a large retirement population? Every year the bay is inundated with tourists—and we love it. We love people coming and enjoying our beautiful waterways, our magnificent beaches, climbing the Tomaree headland, having a great time, but if they— (Time expired)

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