Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In Western Australia there is currently a medical workforce shortage and, in particular, we are short 950 doctors. WA's medical workforce has not kept pace with the rapid population growth and has a higher reliance on overseas trained doctors than the rest of Australia.

Last month I was pleased to host the Prime Minister in my electorate of Hasluck to announce support for the Curtin University's proposal to establish a new medical school in Midland. The WA government has partnered with Curtin University to offer a new five-year undergraduate medical program that will select and train students to work in areas of need around Western Australia.

The coalition government is ensuring that the health needs of our local community are met in the future by initially providing 60 Commonwealth supported medical places in 2017, with an increase to 110 places by 2022. Some people are saying this medical school is not needed. There are many who are opposing it as well, and I equally can tell you that the Hasluck community needs this school. WA needs this school. Despite the two existing medical schools in WA delivering over 300 medical graduates per year, the WA government has consistently raised with the Commonwealth the current and predicted ongoing shortage in its medical workforce, particularly in general practice.

The medical shortage in WA is having large implications on the community such as higher costs for medical services, longer waiting times, increased pressures on health workers and poorer access to medical services, particularly in rural and regional areas. Many GPs are closing their books to new patients and, in turn, placing heavier demand on the public hospital emergency department.

The WA state government has supported the introduction of a third medical school based at Curtin University as a measure to address this severe shortage over the medium and longer term. Under the proposal, it will ensure that any increase in students is matched by increased intern places and registrar places in WA public hospitals into the future. This confirms that there will be training places for the new medical graduates. The most obvious of training location choices will be the new Midland Public Hospital which is on track to open at the end of this year. The new health campus will be located opposite the Curtin Medical School and will provide new educational pathways for our students.

Midland is fast becoming a key location in Perth, and I am pleased to see this infrastructure put Midland on the map and the service often forgotten in eastern metropolitan region. I would like to commend some key people who have been there with me on this fight for the Curtin Medical School in Midland—my friend the Hon. Alyssa Hayden MLC along with Premier Colin Barnett and the WA state government; the City of Swan, the Swan Chamber of Commerce; and the Hon. Christian Porter MP. Their support has been invaluable in making this Medical School happen. The medical workforce shortage in WA is too compelling to ignore, and I would like to acknowledge Curtin University for their vision and recognising the needs of our state.