Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to be able to update the House about a great infrastructure investment in my electorate—that, is my GP superclinic, which is nearing completion. I was very pleased that on 21 January, a couple of weeks ago, I was able to inspect this soon-to-be completed superclinic, and we are looking forward to it being officially opened in May.

Prior to the last federal election we made a commitment that if the federal Labor government were re-elected we would be delivering $7 million for a superclinic in the Tweed Heads area. So I am very proud to be at the stage where we are almost officially opening that; it will make a huge difference to the local community. As I say, prior to the last election we made the commitment for $7 million, and I am very pleased to be delivering on that election commitment as it is nearing completion, nearing reality, now.

Of course, after the election we then had it put out to tender, and the successful tenderer, the preferred applicant, was a company called AusTender, which is a consortium of local GPs, all of whom have extensive experience within our area—decades in fact. They are an outstanding group to be running a GP superclinic and have a strong history with the community.

There was huge community support for this GP superclinic in our area, not just because these local doctors are outstanding but also because of the huge need to have a superclinic, to have applied medical health services in one spot. Its location at Corporation Circuit, Tweed Heads South is ideal for providing services to our local community, many of whom in my area are elderly people. They are very excited about this new superclinic, particularly because of the variety of allied health services—which is the whole idea behind GP superclinics. You can have a whole series of services co-located, so they will have not just a number of GPs but also a dentist, a pharmacy and lots of other services as well.

I would also like to note that when I toured the superclinic the other day it was great to speak with the architect, Andrew Armstrong, who has done an outstanding job in looking at the needs of locals in designing a superclinic so that it provides really good services, particularly for elderly people. It is often a very stressful time when the elderly go to the GP, but they have done a remarkable job in terms of the actual infrastructure they have built there.

Of course, this will be taking pressure off our hospitals, which is vitally important. The other good thing is that the superclinic will be providing a lot of important educational services and a training institute as well. All round, it is a wonderful resource for our area, and not just for the allied medical health services; it will also take the pressure off hospitals and provide much-needed training to many GPs who are coming through our area. I am really proud, as the local MP, to have delivered the $7 million for this superclinic that will make an outstanding difference to the people of Tweed Heads and surrounds.