Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week we opened a brand new Medicare urgent care clinic in Coburg, so it's exciting for our constituents. This is what we're here for: to serve and to make sure that our constituents have a better life. I'm pleased to say it's already having great reviews. We've heard from a local dad who took his daughter into the clinic to assist with anaphylaxis, and he let my office know that they received fantastic urgent care—exactly what we want to hear.

Opening a Medicare urgent care clinic in Coburg was a key commitment I made to my community ahead of the last election, and it's fantastic to know that the incredible team of staff are already providing top-level care. This is one of the legacy pieces of the Albanese Labor government, and the impact it has on local communities is enormous. The investment in Medicare, the investment in bulk-billing and the investment in these Medicare urgent care clinics is going to be remembered and acknowledged for generations. When I speak to people on Sydney Road—out the front of my office there—and tell them about the clinic, their eyes light up. They say: 'This is fantastic! We need this. We don't have one in this area.' That's why I fought so hard to get it opened in Coburg.

Being able to get this kind of non-life-threatening but urgent care late at night or on the weekends is a must for the community. For those in my community who might be watching this online or reading the transcript—I'm not sure how many read the Hansard anymore—here's the info to remember: the Coburg Medicare urgent care clinic is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, from 8 am to 10 pm. You don't need an appointment. You just walk in when you need it, and you don't need your credit card—all you need is your Medicare card because appointments are completely free.

Speaking of our investments in Medicare, 55 per cent of GP practices in my electorate of Wills are now fully bulk billing. That's not 55 per cent of GPs; that's 55 per cent of GP practices fully bulk billing. As the Prime Minister said when he came to my electorate of Wills last weekend, there's a reason the Medicare card is green and gold. It's because it's one of the great Australian institutions. It speaks to Australian values of getting a fair go, and that's what Medicare urgent care clinics are about as well. That's why our government has strengthened Medicare by expanding bulk-billing incentives so that nine out of 10 GP visits will be bulk-billed by 2030. Labor is the party of Medicare. Labor will always strengthen Medicare, and only Labor is taking real action to ease the cost of living for families through Medicare.

Lastly, I want to give a quick shout out to the Coburg Cycling Club, who celebrated their 130th anniversary last week. It's such an impressive milestone. It's one of the oldest continuous clubs in the world for cycling. It's the sixth oldest running in the world and the second oldest in Australia. The history is not just part of the club; it's part of Melbourne's history. It's an interest of mine too as Assistant Minister for Defence, because 86 club members served Australia in the First World War. Sadly, 16 never returned home. The club has produced elite riders. Some have competed in the Olympics and the Tour de France. Happy birthday, Coburg Cycling Club.