Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A number of Fisher residents were recognised in the King's Birthday 2023 Honours List for their work to make the world a better place, and I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge them: Mrs Judith Bandidt OAM, of Palmwoods, for her service to the community of Goomeri; Ms Glenda Lloyd OAM, of Meriden Plains, for her service to children and to the community—she's been a foster parent to more than 100 children—Ms Vanessa Aland ACM, of Golden Beach, for distinguished services in corrections; Mr Raymond Mogg ESM, of Aroona, for distinguished services to emergency services, most notably the coast guard at Mooloolaba; and Mr and Mrs Edward and Linda Vann for their services to the community of Maleny. I also want to pay tribute to the late Dr Michael Simpson OAM of Montville, whose OAM for services to the community of Montville acknowledges his tireless work as a GP in the local area.

With Dr Michael's passing, there are now no longer any more doctors practicing in Montville. It's incredibly important for the community of Montville that we are able to continue some form of doctor's services. I want to pay tribute to Natalie and the Montville Pharmacy team, Michael and the Montville Village Association, and Shiralee at the Montville Chamber of Commerce for their advocacy on this important issue. Together, the Montville community has taken a petition calling on the government and the parliament to make it easier for a doctor to practice in Montville—775 people signed the petition. That may not seem like a lot of people, when you think about all the different petitions that are put before this place, but Montville is a very small community in my electorate.

It misses out, by being around 200 metres from a line that was drawn on a map in relation to the Modified Monash Model, on funding to attract doctors to work in Montville. Just down the road, only a few kilometres away, we have the town of Maleny. It's much more lucrative for a doctor to work in Maleny under this model. Montville only just misses out, so I'm calling upon the Minister for Health and Aged Care to make an exemption for the people of Montville, which is a very old community. The roads are quite treacherous between Montville and Maleny.

I would seek leave to table the 'Montville wants a doctor' petition. I'd ask the health minister to consider making an exemption in this case for the people of Montville so they can have a doctor's service once again, because at the moment they have no-one. I seek leave to table the petition.

Leave granted.