John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was very pleased to join with the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network CEO, Merrilyn Strohfeldt, and the Carbal Medical Services CEO, Brian Hewitt, in Toowoomba recently to officially open Australia's first regional Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service-led GP respiratory clinic. This vital new service will provide our locals with a culturally safe place to be tested and treated for COVID-19.

This clinic in particular is important in our community given Indigenous Australians are more likely to suffer from a serious illness if they contract COVID-19, and there are higher rates of chronic conditions, unfortunately, and other health issues in regional communities. But it's open to all local residents, so the clinic certainly is taking pressure off our local hospital emergency departments and other GP clinics within the Toowoomba region.

We expect a second GP-led COVID-19 respiratory clinic to open in our region over the coming days to help ensure all members of our community have access to testing if they need it. This is very much in line with the three principles that the Prime Minister and other national leaders are emphasising for our continued progress through the COVID-19 challenge: testing, tracing and having the capacity to respond to potential outbreaks.