Kelly Hoare (Charlton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak of two very important local campaigns in neighbouring communities in West Lake Macquarie in my electorate of Charlton. Both campaigns have been a part of a wider community movement to bring more doctors to regional areas. There is a massive shortage of doctors in my electorate. The shortage is nowhere more acute than in the rapidly growing communities of Wyee and Morisset and surrounding areas. The doctors we have in Bonnells Bay, Dora Creek, Cooranbong and, until recently, Morisset are excellent doctors who are hardworking and who have earned the respect and gratitude of the community. The only problem is that they are overworked and many cannot see new patients. Obtaining an appointment can be very difficult, and bulk-billing is very hard to come by.

The community of Wyee lost its doctor over two years ago and the town was left with the need for a replacement. The loss of the Wyee doctor meant that the only option for many people was to travel to Wyong Hospital and sit in accident and emergency for hours until they could be seen by a doctor. This placed pressure on the already stretched public health sector because there was no local GP to do this essential work.

Morisset lost its GP in November last year. A similar situation now exists there as existed in Wyee: families are forced to travel to Wyong or up to John Hunter or Belmont hospitals to seek general medical attention. Sadly, many people went without medical attention in times of need because they could not get to the hospital or did not want to cause a fuss. The consequences of this are too frightening to think about.

Following the departure of the doctor from Wyee, I joined with the community and commenced a campaign to get a new doctor for the town. I am pleased to say that in January of this year the new Wyee medical practice opened, giving local residents access to a local doctor who bulk-bills.

For over two years now, the Wyee and Wyee Point community have been fighting for a new doctor. I was overwhelmed by the support the campaign received from local residents. It was this support which was crucial in obtaining concessions from the government and which has brought a doctor and a brand-new practice to the town. I would like to place on record a very warm welcome to Dr Pravesh Shah on his move to Wyee. Together as a community we have worked to get Wyee’s medical services back.

A few weeks ago we commenced a campaign in Morisset to find a new doctor, and I am pleased to announce that, after very quickly arranging for a petition of over 1,000 signatures, we have forced the government to supply a provider number for a doctor to commence practising in Morisset. We are now involved in finalising some of the associated technical details. This is fantastic news for Morisset, Cooranbong and the peninsula and I look forward to welcoming a new doctor to the area in the very near future.

The successful community campaigns in Wyee and Morisset are great examples of how grassroots based work can bring about change. I would encourage all people who think something must be done to make their town a better place to get involved in community work. As the people of Morisset and Wyee have shown, it does work. It does not always require a huge effort—it can be something as simple as signing a petition. But involvement is the key, and the communities of Morisset and Wyee have shown this to be the case.

The fight for more doctors continues in my electorate. As rapid population growth occurs, we must ensure that we have enough social infrastructure, including doctors, to cope with the ever-increasing pressure on these services. I commend the people of Wyee and Morisset on their efforts and look forward to continuing to work with the community on a range of issues, particularly in our attempts to encourage additional doctors to relocate to our area.