MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan MP delivered a Private Members’ Statement in the Legislative Assembly last night, calling for the old-fashioned healthcare system to be turned urgently on its head.
Mr Moylan said that it’s time for significant policy change and a system overhaul to ensure country people get the medical care they deserve.
“The economic viability and attractiveness of country practice and the humble GP in the bush has eroded across Australia for decades,” Mr Moylan said.
“We have lost hundreds of GPs in the bush in the past decade, and many communities – sadly, quite a few in my electorate – do not have a single GP.
“The GP single employer model is a good start but it’s only part of the solution.
“In my opinion, coming to this place fresh, it is about time that both tiers of government start to come together to find solutions to this crisis. In my opinion the Federal Government can do the most.”
Mr Moylan said the Federal Government could consider wiping university debts for all medical professionals who work for a minimum period in regional and remote areas.
“The Federal Government should seriously consider offering tax incentives such as a top income tax rate of, say, 10 per cent across the board for all medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, physios and so on, who work in the regions for a minimum period,” he said.
“At a state level, let’s be creative and look at wiping payroll tax for all medical and health businesses in regional New South Wales.
“Working as a medical professional in the regions needs to be so financially attractive that doctors, nurses, physios, dentists and so on will not be able to refuse.”
Mr Moylan called for both tiers of government – both state and federal – to come together and find solutions to the crisis.
A copy of Mr Moylan’s Private Members’ Statement can be found here: https://www.parliament.nsw.
MEDIA: Electorate Office 6772 5552