Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Ageing and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I wish to speak on an issue facing many towns in rural Australia—indeed, it is a particular issue in my electorate—and that is adequate access to doctors and medical professionals in rural towns. Tonight, I would particularly like to highlight the case of Baradine, a small community in the Parkes electorate that will be left without a doctor at the end of the month.

Baradine has gone through some tough times of late. The ongoing drought has affected the area greatly. In addition, the decision a few years ago by the New South Wales government to lock up 350,000 hectares in the Brigalow Belt South Bioregion saw the cessation of the town’s timber industry and left the town with a large unemployment problem. But Baradine has worked hard to fight back. The residents have a fierce belief in their own community and a desire to build a future for their town. Baradine is a town that has done it tough but it is not a tough town.

However, Baradine is now facing a severe problem because on 28 March they will no longer have a doctor. I have had many residents from Baradine contact me about this. They are extremely concerned about what will happen when their local GP is unavailable for residents. The Baradine Medical Centre currently has 1,878 patients on their books and without a local doctor these people will be forced to travel tens of kilometres to the nearest town, Coonabarabran, to seek medical services. In an emergency, this will not be good enough.

There are many residents in Baradine who need to know they can access appropriate medical services quickly. I would particularly like to highlight the example of Elizabeth Varley. Elizabeth is a six-year-old girl who lives in Baradine. Elizabeth suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition which makes her bones fragile and easily susceptible to breakages. Elizabeth has undergone several months of intensive intravenous therapy to strengthen her bones, and she makes regular visits to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney for ongoing treatment. Her doctors in Sydney regularly consult with her doctor in Baradine to ensure that Elizabeth receives appropriate medical care. Her parents are very worried about what will happen when the current doctor leaves and Elizabeth can no longer receive the continuity of care she needs.

I have also had several letters from the local Aboriginal community which is a large proportion of the Baradine and Gwabegar communities. They also need access to medical services, particularly as Aboriginal people are more susceptible to illnesses such as diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure. I know of one family in Baradine that has 10 children and no car. It will be very difficult for them to access medical services in an emergency if the closest doctor is many kilometres away.

The local community built the doctor’s surgery and has recently purchased a residence to go with it. I have visited these facilities and they are of the highest standard. I am certain that any doctor who took up the position in Baradine would be very well looked after, and would enjoy being a part of such a small, close-knit community. They would be welcomed with open arms. The current situation in Baradine is mirrored in other towns right across my electorate and, indeed, right across rural Australia. I believe attracting medical professionals to rural areas should be a top priority. And I give my full support to the Baradine community as they endeavour to get a new doctor for their town.