Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently wrote to the people of Gladstone to let them know some of the different ways in which the coalition government is bringing health services to them and to other families. I outlined a number of different programs, ranging from more frequent visits to Gladstone by Australian Hearing Services staff to a further 12 months federal funding for the region’s oncologist. The response from the local community has been overwhelming. But, before I deal with some of the feedback I have received, let me outline exactly what the Australian government is making sure happens for the residents of Gladstone through their health services.

An overarching result has been the dramatic increase in bulk-billing services. I am very proud of the fact that the Hinkler electorate recently achieved the second highest increase in bulk-billing in Queensland between 2004 and 2005. The figures show that the electorate’s bulk-billing rate reached an average of 69.9 per cent for 2005, up from 60.5 per cent in 2004. What made the achievement even more remarkable was the fact that the average increase across Queensland during those 12 months was 5.3 per cent—in other words, 9.4 against 5.3. I know we are probably coming to the top of the scale for bulk-billing. I notice that the Minister for Health and Ageing spoke about this matter in the chamber just this week. It looks like the 2006 figures may be close, and I look forward with eager anticipation to see if we can repeat that achievement. Although the statistics cannot be broken down into the number of people bulk-billed for the city of Gladstone, the electorate-wide increase means that more people have a greater choice when they go to the GP. In fact, over two-thirds of the people in my electorate can now be bulk-billed.

Closer to home for many residents is the fact that the coalition government, for the third year running, is funding the Gladstone visiting oncology service. I recently obtained a further payment of $58,000 from the Australian government to make sure that this financial year an oncologist can keep travelling to the city to treat local patients. The hundreds of people who rely on Dr Atkinson—a very fine oncologist, I might add—now have some peace of mind knowing that they will be able to keep their treatment up for at least another 12 months. The funding has come from the government’s Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program, which funded the local program for the previous two years. Although the scheme is principally designed to bring specialist services to outback and isolated areas of Australia, the Minister for Health and Ageing agreed with me that Gladstone should be considered a special case. What I find absolutely galling about this current arrangement is that the Queensland Labor government, which is ultimately responsible for providing oncology services for the region—and especially at its own hospital—has, for the last three years, abrogated its duty. Even though the Beattie Labor government has become synonymous with neglect of the public health service, I am determined to continue the fight to get appropriate attention for Gladstone’s oncology patients.

The third improvement in health services in the Gladstone region is more frequent visits by Australian Hearing Services staff. Residents now have access to a visiting Australian hearing professional at least two weeks in every month, and I understand that as this builds up it may go to even three weeks in every month.

As I stated at the outset, all these new and improved services were the subject of a letter I wrote to my constituents, and I was very heartened by the response. For example, one constituent of mine wrote back to me detailing why better health services were important for her family. Her husband is an existing client of Australian Hearing Services and she had glowing things to say about the service he receives, while she explained her reliance on visiting specialists. A few sentences from her letter will tell you what it means to her:

Cancer is of course a thing of the mind—if you know that there is treatment on hand it is easier to cope with mentally, which goes a long way towards curing somebody. Thank you for obtaining further funding for us older residents. I thank you. Please keep it up. Anything you can do—and I know that money does not grow on trees—to help keep some medical specialists coming to our city is a good thing and can only help in the quality of life for older Australians.

I salute the health services of Gladstone and I am proud to be part of enhancing them.

Question agreed to.