Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Friday I stood with my Labor colleagues from across the Hunter and local GPs in a fight to save, yet again, our GP-access after-hours service. This is a vital frontline health service, yet the Morrison Liberal government is standing by, doing nothing to prevent families from the Hunter region receiving the worst possible Christmas present ever. From Christmas Eve, the after-hours GP clinic in the Calvary Mater hospital in my electorate will be closing permanently and the operating hours at all the remaining clinics—John Hunter Hospital, Maitland Hospital, Belmont Hospital and Toronto Polyclinic—will be reduced significantly.

This petition, signed by more than 11,100 people in the last three weeks alone, tells the stories of loss, disbelief and anger at the Morrison government that it would even contemplate cutting this essential frontline health service. But this is not a one-off. This Liberal government has a long history of cuts to bulk-billing incentives and of freezing Medicare rebates, undermining our universal healthcare system time and time again. Today, I seek leave to table this petition, which will be presented to the Petitions Committee on behalf of the 11,100 people from across the Hunter who say: 'Hands off our GP-access after-hours service. Prime Minister, it's time you take responsibility to restore funding to our vital service immediately. Newcastle and Hunter families deserve nothing less.' (Time expired)

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

Save Newcastle's After Hours GP Service!

The Morrison Government's continuous cuts and freezes to Medicare has forced Hunter Primary Care (HPC) to make the difficult decision to close the GP Access After Hours Service (GPAAH) at the Calvary Mater Hospital from Christmas Eve and reduce opening hours at the remaining four clinics across the region.

This reduction in services will be devastating news for up to 15,000 people who will be left without access to vital medical care.

The GPAAH Service reduces unnecessary emergency department presentations and hospitalisations, saving the health system approximately $21.7 million every year.

But, these changes will dramatically increase pressure on our already over stretched and under resourced emergency departments.

After six long years of Medicare rebate freezes and recent cuts to bulk-billing incentives by the Morrison Government, HPC has been forced to make the impossible decision to reduce their services to families across the Newcastle Hunter region.

In August, HPC pleaded with the Morrison Government to provide the funding needed to retain the full operation of their services, but the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt simply gave them the cold shoulder and said no.

This has been an essential service for tens of thousands of Newcastle families who rely upon bulk-billing GP services to access the healthcare they need, when they need it.

With so few bulk-billing doctors in Newcastle, any further loss of services with have a huge impact on these families already faced with high out-of-pocket costs.

Not only is the Morrison Government's lack of support unacceptable, it is grossly irresponsible in the middle of a global pandemic.

At a time when the Federal Government should be investing in Medicare and increasing health services to regional Australia, the Morrison Government is doing the exact opposite.

Newcastle deserves better than a government determined to undermine our world-class healthcare system.

Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The document will be forwarded to the Standing Committee on Petitions for its consideration. It will be accepted subject to confirmation by the committee that it conforms to the standing orders.