Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Regional Health. Will the minister update the House on the progress the Morrison-Joyce government is making in rolling out the COVID-19 vaccines to regional, rural and remote Australians and, in particular, the effects of the Royal Flying Doctor Service?

David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First of all, I'd like to thank the member for Flynn for his question and compliment him on the amazing service he has delivered to the good people of Flynn over his career in parliament of 11 years. Congratulations. As he'd know, in his home town of Gladstone there are several different community-based sites where he and his people can get a vaccine.

But, out in the far west and in other rural, regional and remote seats nearby in Queensland, they would have to depend on the Royal Flying Doctor Service to deliver not only the technology but the vaccine service, and they've been doing a sterling job. In the good member for Leichhardt's electorate, just in the last three weeks, 1,400 people have received a vaccine in some of the more remote Indigenous shires like Coen, Lockhart River, Pormpuraaw and Kowanyama. In the north-west, the Flying Doctor service turned up to vaccinate many more, but there was a lot of vaccine hesitancy. They brought mental health staff with them, had sausage sizzles, educated people and addressed their concerns. They've gone ahead in leaps and bounds. They've been around the state: Ravenswood, Birdsville, Mount Surprise, you name it. All these remote places are on the plan for the Flying Doctor service. In the Northern Territory, they're ramping up now to deliver 15,000 vaccines across 172 clinic sites.

Everyone knows about the situation in the north-west of New South Wales. The good member for Parkes has been at the forefront there, and he realises how important the Flying Doctor service is. They're based in Broken Hill, where not only have they been delivering vaccines—they've brought another 8,000 vaccines into the north-west of the state—but they have been involved in actually vaccinating 3,048 people themselves in the last couple of weeks. They flew in advanced teams, because they go by road as well as by air. They deliver medical services, dental services and health services, but they've stepped up to the mark and are delivering vaccines in the far-flung places of Australia. This big, wide, brown land is covered by the Flying Doctor. That's why they have such an amazing rapport with everyone. In Walgett, Wilcannia, Bourke and all those places where the outbreak is, they've been involved. Whether it's point-of-care testing or delivering extra shots to Broken Hill or to Bourke and Walgett—

Dr Freelander interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Macarthur.

David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In Armatree, they had 40 people booked to turn up. When they knew it was the Flying Doctor, it became 198. So, grey nomads, you'll be able to get back out into Western New South Wales. To the people in Western New South Wales, know that the Flying Doctor has your back and you can resume your way of life.