Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Accessing affordable health care should not be impossible; it's a basic human right. However, seeing a GP for a bulk-billing appointment is moving from a necessity to a luxury. According to newly released data compiled by Cleanbill, Herbert remains one of the most expensive federal electorates in the country to see a GP in. Local bulk-billing rates have declined by 10.5 per cent on last year, and out-of-pocket charges continue to climb. This data makes it clear that the government's solutions are not working.

The Urgent Care Clinic in Townsville is not working. The Urgent Care Clinic opening was delayed by seven months, and it was clear then that the government did not consider Townsville a priority. Constituents continue to contact me on a daily basis, telling me how hard it is for them to see a bulk-billing clinic. Staff in our emergency department in Townsville general hospital haven't felt the easing of pressure on their services that they were promised, as the Urgent Care Clinic continues to turn people away after experiencing wait times of several hours. This is an absolute failure.

In a cost-of-living crisis, the situation continues to go from bad to worse for the people of Townsville. We need to attract GPs to our area and we need to support them so they can deliver high-quality bulk-billing services to our local community.