Anne Webster, Member for Mallee
I WANT to wish each one of you a very Merry Christmas.
Christmas has come around so quickly this year, with so many challenges once again from floods, flooding rains, COVID’s ongoing challengers and barriers to health access.
And of course, two elections.
I am proud to be a country Victorian, where regional and rural lifestyle is a winner and we appreciate our community connections in a range of fields.
Of course there are challenges – rural communities experience thin markets.
By that I mean smaller population clusters with big distances between. This makes economically viable health service delivery challenging.
It means governments must work to ensure health care access for all those that choose a regional lifestyle and who contribute so much to our GDP.
Mallee’s contribution of almost $10 billion is a vast investment in Australia’s wealth and the return ought to be evident in roads, infrastructure, health and education.
The closure of Allambi Elderly People’s Home Inc in Dimboola, is a dire warning to other independent small providers in Mallee.
Currently I am aware of two more independent aged care facilities in small towns that are under threat.
I have made it clear to the government that a “one size fits all” approach to the Royal Commission recommendations will not work in the regions.
Likewise, the expansion of the distribution priority areas (DPA) made by this government means less doctors in rural towns.
The DPA ensured overseas-trained doctors working in regional towns for 10 years, but now they can work in metropolitan areas as well.
If a medical graduate in Zimbabwe looks for a position in Australia under the DPA, he or she can access Frankston or Ouyen.
Compared to a small rural town with no supervision support onsite, one can only imagine the metropolitan setting will be more enticing.
This removes just one of the short term incentives to increase the GP workforce.
I will continue to focus on health care into 2023 and have begun coordinating a stakeholder meeting early in the new year to address these pressing issues.
In the meantime, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year and may 2023 bring peace and joy for you and yours.
