Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to commend the 2017-18 budget. It is a plan that delivers fairness, opportunity and security for all Australians and it is a major boost to my electorate of Robertson on the Central Coast. In this budget we have a further $12½ million for the new Central Coast Medical School and Medical Research Institute so it can attract and retain world-leading health professionals in Gosford. This takes our government's total commitment to $45 million, with the University of Newcastle and the New South Wales government each contributing an additional $20 million on top of this towards that project. Vice-chancellor Professor Caroline McMillen said that the medical school will create outstanding new opportunities for the region, linking the world's best medical education and research to the coast. Central Coast Council administrator Ian Reynolds said that this extra funding will enhance the reputation of Gosford as a leader in innovation and medical research and education and will have huge flow-on effects to our local economy.

I also wish to advise the House that the coalition is taking action on the serious issue of GP shortages on the peninsula. Around $100,000 has been made available this week to help get more local doctors for people living in suburbs like Woy Woy, Umina Beach, Ettalong, Blackwall, Booker Bay, Pearl Beach and Patonga. A new expert working group convened by the local primary health network will identify both short-term solutions and longer term strategies to recruit and retain GPs in the area. Just recently we held a major community forum at Umina Beach with the Assistant Minister for Health, Dr David Gillespie, who has worked tirelessly with me on this issue. Members of our community have described this issue as being a crisis, to the extent that one respected GP who recently retired left around 1,200 patients without a family doctor. This funding will tackle the problem head-on and comes after the government has listened closely to the needs of our community, doctors, practice managers, GP recruitment agencies and representatives from the Rural Doctors Network, Aboriginal and community health, and the PHN. In fact, our local PHN chief executive, Richard Nankervis, welcomed the announcement, saying it was about patients receiving the right care at the right place at the right time.

This budget will also see funding committed to a range of other important projects, including more than $7.2 million for Central Coast Council to upgrade local roads, including: Ryans Road at Umina Beach; Oceano Street at Copacabana; Murray Street and Davis Street at Booker Bay; and the intersection of Langford Drive and Woy Woy Road at Kariong. This goes hand in hand with other major projects we are delivering, including: $10 million for the Regional Performing Arts Centre in Gosford; upgrades to Somersby Industrial Park, Banjo's Skatepark, Terrigal Trojans clubhouse and McEvoy Oval at Umina Beach; $12 million towards delivering continuous mobile coverage on trains between Wyong and Hornsby; better mobile coverage in Spencer, Killcare and Wendoree Park; and $7 million towards a new community learning hub and library in Gosford. This is about making the right choices to secure better days ahead. (Time expired)

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