Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Newcastle for that question. I know she has been particularly interested in the way that services are provided in the broader Hunter region. I am delighted to be able to tell her and the rest of the House that the implementation of the $275 million commitment to the GP Super Clinics Program has been going well. In fact, I can report to the House that around 50,000 services have already been provided under this GP Super Clinics Program.

I can see the member for Paterson smiling. Indeed, he should be. I was in Port Stephens last Monday to officially open the superclinic in Nelson Bay. The superclinic in Nelson Bay was a $2.5 million commitment. The GPs who were successful in their application for the superclinic intend to invest about the same amount themselves in expanding health services around the clinic. This clinic is going to have extended hours of operation. For example, it will be the first GP service open in the region on Sundays. It offers a dedicated service on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for residents of local aged-care facilities. It has received a grant to provide after-hours services as well. Four new GPs, two full-time registered nurses and a wide variety of allied health professionals are going to staff this new clinic. They are going to work in multidisciplinary teams to provide integrated patient-centred care.

Of course, this is a fantastic new addition for the community. Unfortunately, the shadow Treasurer and the shadow finance minister have turned their backs on these sorts of investments. Communities, like Port Stephens, who put up their hands for a superclinic in the future following the budget commitments made last week will not get support from the Liberal Party. Of course, they are joining a long line of Liberal members who oppose this. The shadow minister for health did not even turn up to the opening of the Strathpine superclinic in his electorate. He might have been busy looking at investments that had to be made! He did not even bother to be there.

Not every Liberal MP has given the superclinics program the cold shoulder. In fact, many people on the other side have embraced this idea with open arms. I feel it is necessary to bring some photographic evidence of this fact. I think people should be aware and I should declare first in the parliament that in politics you are sometimes required to do things that you never anticipated you would be required to do. I need to show this photograph taken at the opening of the Port Stephens superclinic. There are three people in it. One of them is Labor’s candidate for Paterson, Jim Arneman. He has a big smile on his face. The reason he has a big smile on his face is he was present at the last election when this commitment was made. He is our candidate again and I am sure he, as well as everyone on this side of the House, is delighted that these commitments are being delivered. Not surprisingly, as the health minister I was there at the opening of the superclinic. I did say that not everyone has given the superclinics the cold shoulder. I do need to provide this photo to the House.

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