9 October 2023
The Federal Labor government continues to neglect the health needs of rural and regional Australia, with patients in Groom waiting longer and paying more to see a health professional.
Federal Member for Groom, Garth Hamilton was joined in Toowoomba by Senator Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, to call on Labor to listen to the needs and concerns of patients and health professionals.
“Our health system is under pressure; we have seen bulk billing rates fall drastically, across Australia nearly 200 GP clinics have closed, and we’re yet to see Labor’s long promised Urgent Care Clinic that was promised to our community.”
“I am not interested in Labor’s lip service, what we are interested in is seeing better health services for regional Australia, and we want better outcomes here in Groom,” Mr Hamilton said.
Senator Ruston said the Albanese Government had overlooked the health needs of rural and regional communities.
“We must stop being so city-centric when we are coming up with solutions to the health problems that we have in this country.
“We should not have our health outcomes in Australia determined by your postcode, we should not have our health outcomes determined by how far you are away from a metropolitan area,” she said.
Senator Ruston was quick to commend the work that local group Hope Horizons was doing to support the community, with the build of their new Jenny Black Cancer Wellness Centre, a grassroots healthcare initiative to diminish the impact of cancer.
“This is a great example of grassroots investment in health, and a great achievement of the local community.”
“I commend Hope Horizons for their amazing philanthropic work to pull this project together, to provide a service that’s much needed in Groom”.
ENDS.
