Steve Gibbons (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How are GP superclinics providing better health care, particularly in growth areas and areas of workforce shortage? What would be the impact of cutting—heaven forbid—funding to this vitally important program?

Mr McCormack interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, the member for Riverina, who has been reasonably well-behaved and should sit there quietly.

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

I thank the member for Bendigo for his question because I know he is one of the very proud members of this House to have the Bendigo GP superclinic just opened in his electorate. His is the 19th superclinic that is fully operational, and it is providing extra GP services, nurses and allied health services in Bendigo and working very closely with the hospital services that are being provided.

Our GP superclinics program has provided over 630,000 services to patients across Australia. But last night the Leader of the Opposition again made clear that this program is a program that he is going to cut. As per usual, the only policy that the Leader of the Opposition had was to say no. He has a $70 billion hole in his own budget and he is intending to fill it by saying no to doctors, no to nurses, no to superclinics, and no to hospital services.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Those on my right should be very careful! The members for La Trobe and Robertson, order!

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

It is very interesting that, although the Leader of the Opposition says no every time he is asked to provide support for health services, the members of his backbench and frontbench do not always say the same thing in their electorates.

Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tell us about Raymond Terrace.

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

So, my friend Member for Paterson, when the Port Stephens superclinic opened in his electorate, said to NBN Television:

This has my absolute support.

Interestingly, the member for Paterson has a second superclinic coming to his electorate, in Raymond Terrace, and he has been lobbying me to make sure that it goes exactly where he would like it to go.

Mr Baldwin interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, the member for Paterson!

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

So the Leader of the Opposition says no, but members of his frontbench say yes. I know that the member for Gilmore is sitting quietly there, but she happily attended, as she should as the local member, the opening of the Shellharbour superclinic, and she said that she believed these clinics were worth pursuing if they attracted services to doctor-starved regions like her own. So she says yes in her local electorate, but here the Leader of the Opposition just says no.

What about the member for Parkes? Gunnedah used to be in his electorate. Unfortunately the redistribution has moved it, but the member for New England has been very appreciative. Mr Coulton said that this was a 'long-held dream' for the people of Gunnedah and 'an exciting model' and he paid 'tribute to Minister Roxon'. So although the Leader of the Opposition says no, the member for Parkes says yes.

The majority of these clinics are in coalition seats, and these clinics are being welcomed by local members, although the Leader of the Opposition still says no. Let me give you the latest edition. The member for Flynn told locals in Emerald of their GP superclinic—

Opposition members interjecting—

This is important. I think people should listen, because the member for Flynn said: 'Just for the record I have to say this. My party does not believe in super clinics but we do—we are in favour, we do stand with—we do support the Labor government and Minister Roxon and stand beside her in progressing these clinics and there is no-one more than myself who wants to see it work in Emerald.' So they cannot make up their minds which side of this they are on, because when it comes to health services the Leader of the Opposition just wants to say no and what he is proving is a leopard cannot change his spots.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.