Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Hansard source

COLBECK (—) (): I thank the senator for the question and for some notice of the topic of the question, given its very local specificity. I can understand the concern of the residents of Wudinna losing their local GP. My understanding, having had a conversation with the very, very good member for Grey, Mr Ramsey, this afternoon, is that the doctor, Dr Lewis, only came for a short period to Wudinna and stayed for 15 years. He's given great service to that local community and I'm sure the community are very sad he's leaving.

The issue in relation to attracting doctors to regions is a difficult one; it's many faceted. I have to say, I'm really quite proud of the work that this government's done in support of attracting doctors into regional areas. In the 2018-19 budget we put $550 million into the Stronger Rural Health Strategy, and we followed that up in last year's budget with another $123 million supporting the implementation of that strategy.

In that particular area, I'm aware that Mr Ramsey's been very active in working with his colleagues, Minister Hunt and Minister Gillespie, to work on local solutions. I'm advised that Minister Gillespie has also had a number of direct conversations with the South Australian minister for health, Minister Wade, to see what the two governments can do together in support of providing GP services in that local area. I'm also aware that Minister Hunt, following a conversation, provided $300,000 to support a report that's being done by the Northern Eyre Peninsula Health Alliance, which will be handed to Minister Hunt very soon. (Time expired)