Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to lend my support to the community push for a Hastings Medicare office. I want to talk about, firstly, the need; secondly, the response; and, thirdly, the steps forward. In looking at the need, what we see very clearly is that Hastings is a tremendously important and growing town on Western Port. Numerous young working families have moved in, as well as many seniors and retirees. In addition to that, it is surrounded by good strong towns such as Crib Point, Bitten and Balnarring on one side and Tyabb and Somerville on the other. It is, however, poorly connected by state public transport to nearby Medicare offices in Mornington and Frankston.

Against that background, we see that there is a real need for an immediate turnaround for funds for many of the lower income families in Hastings and the surrounding areas. Whether they are working families, whether it is young families, whether it is pensioners or others, they need to be able to access that portion of their doctor’s payments which they can recover through the Medicare system and they need to be able to do it immediately.

In that context, the community, led by Nina Muller, has developed a proposal for creating a Hastings Medicare office. It is a strong proposal and it is one which I fully support. I am delighted today to be able to present a petition to the House with 1,618 signatures calling for consideration by the Commonwealth for the establishment of a co-located Medicare office with Centrelink in Hastings. I previously discussed this with the Minister for Human Services, the Hon. Senator Chris Ellison, who has been very supportive and indicated that a key factor in the decision would be an understanding that there would be community support and therefore demand and use. We have taken him at his word. He has been tremendously supportive. I am delighted to present this petition.

In that context, the steps forward from here are very simple. I will also see the minister, Senator Chris Ellison, this week, and present an additional copy of the petition to him and then return to the people of the electorate and let them know that we are out there fighting for this Medicare office. I am hopeful that, with the fantastic word of Nina Muller and all of those who have signed this petition and indicated strong community support, we will be able to get a Medicare office for Hastings, for Crib Point, for Bittern, for Tyabb and for Somerville. I thank the House and I commend the proposal for a Medicare office for Hastings.