Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) | Hansard source

The Albanese government is establishing 58 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics across Australia, with a total investment of $493.5 million over five years. These clinics are urgently needed to invest in the public health system to meet the needs of the Australian people. After 10 years of failure to invest, neglect of the aged-care system and failure of the public health system, we have significant challenges facing people who want access to affordable healthcare or, in this case, bulk-billed healthcare out of hours for non-urgent conditions. These Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are going to be part of the response, along with our investment in the tripling of the bulk-billing rate that we did in our budget, to ensure that the public health system is funded appropriately and that health professionals are supported in the work they do. Sixteen Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have now opened their doors around Australia—four in New South Wales, including in Albury and Wollongong; two in WA, in Perth and Rockingham; and nine in Victoria, including in Ballarat and Geelong. Today, the first clinic is opening in Tasmania, in Launceston, and we expect more to be opening in coming weeks and months—