Doctors For The Bush Bill
I recently introduced the Doctors For The Bush Bill 2024 in Parliament to tackle the severe shortage of GPs in rural and regional Australia. This Bill restores priority for overseas-trained doctors to work in country areas for up to ten years, ensuring that rural communities have access to the healthcare they desperately need.
You can view the Bill on the Australian Parliament website here.
Impact of the 2022 Policy Change
In July 2022, the current government removed the priority for overseas-trained doctors to practice in rural and regional areas. Instead, they were allowed to work in Sydney suburbs like Hornsby and Warringah, where there is no shortage of GPs. This decision left many country areas without sufficient healthcare access, worsening the crisis in rural communities.
A Health Crisis in Rural Communities
The shortage of doctors in rural areas has reached a tipping point. Gulgong once had several doctors but now has none. In Wellington, it now takes two months to get an appointment. Many practices across the central west, including in larger regional centres, are no longer accepting new patients, and local emergency departments are overwhelmed. Lives are at risk as the situation worsens.
The Purpose of My Bill
The Doctors For The Bush Bill aims to restore the priority for overseas-trained doctors to work in rural and regional areas, as it was before 2022. This change would require these doctors to work in country areas for up to ten years, helping to alleviate the doctor shortage and ensure equitable healthcare access for rural Australians.
National Party’s Failure to Act
Despite the urgent need for action, the National Party failed to support this Bill when it came to a vote. This shows a lack of commitment to addressing the rural doctor shortage. Instead of backing meaningful legislation that could make a real difference, they chose to play politics.
What’s Next? Sign the Petition
The fight for better healthcare in rural Australia is far from over. To show the strong community support for addressing this crisis, I’ve launched a petition on Change.org calling for urgent action. While nearly 13,000 people have already signed, we need even more voices to amplify the message and keep the pressure on Parliament.
This is where you can help. By adding your name to the petition today, you’ll be joining thousands of others in demanding the healthcare that rural Australians deserve. Together, we can ensure this issue stays front and center in Parliament and push for the changes our communities urgently need.
Sign the petition now—your support truly makes a difference.