Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to highlight the reality of a health-care crisis unfolding in my electorate of Barker—specifically, in the community of Mount Gambier. The urgent care clinic that the minister promised would ease pressure on our local hospitals has been closed since June, yet, in question time on Monday, the minister stood in the chamber and proudly asserted that all of our nation's 90 urgent care clinics were currently operating. This is simply not true. Either the minister doesn't know or he is not across his brief. Either way, it's unacceptable.

The consequences for my community are dire. All four GP clinics have confirmed they're not taking on new patients. Families can't find a doctor for their children, elderly residents are struggling to manage chronic illnesses and people are left with no primary health-care options. The people of Mount Gambier deserve honesty from this government, and they deserve to access health care. Instead they've been left behind. This is not just a policy failure; it's a betrayal of trust.

Minister, front up to the people of Mount Gambier and tell them that you've failed. Come to Mount Gambier and tell these residents why they've been abandoned. Maybe you could tell them that it's a direct result of your decision, in 2022, to alter the distribution priority areas. Minister, your Prime Minister is fond of saying, 'All you need to access health care is your Medicare card.' In reality, in Mount Gambier, you need to travel hundreds of kilometres to do it. It's not acceptable and the minister knows it.

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