Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I believe in the future of regional Australia. I want to see it thrive and prosper so that it continues to provide an unbeatable lifestyle for generations to come—and I know that the Deputy Prime Minister does as well. The budget this year made a huge contribution to regional Australia with the announcement of the Murray Darling Medical Schools Network, in which the Deputy Prime Minister has played a major role. The doctor shortage in country Australia and country New South Wales is well known. In some country communities you have to wait weeks or months just to see a GP, let alone a specialist. When GPs leave a community, when they retire or move towns, it is sometimes very difficult to replace them. Infrastructure was a major part of that announcement of $95 million. There will be bricks and mortar built in our country communities to train doctors in the bush for practice in the bush. I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for his work in that regard—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Mr Deputy Speaker, I ask that you restore order to the House.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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