Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to incorporate Senator Bishop’s adjournment speech.

Leave granted.

Mark Bishop (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The incorporated speech read as follows

I rise this evening to speak in support of a petition calling for a Medicare office to be opened in the suburb of Belmont. Belmont is located in the Electorate of Swan. I understand the previous member for Swan campaigned for such an office for over 8 years with no success. But that will not deter me.

I was very pleased to receive the petition from members of the Belmont community. The petition is the work of members of the Belmont community who have kept faith with this project. Kept faith - despite appeals to the previous government falling on deaf ears. They kept faith because the establishment of a Medicare office in the suburb of Belmont is a priority. For the many in the community on low incomes or pensions

I would like to take the time to acquaint Senators with this part of Western Australia. The City of Belmont is on the eastern side of the Swan River. It’s about five kilometres from Perth city. And it includes the suburbs of Ascot, Belmont, Cloverdale, Kewdale, Redcliffe and Rivervale. At its heart are the municipal buildings, urban streetscapes, recreation areas for young people and the Belmont Forum Shopping Centre

At night the retail focus shifts to that of entertainment. And local families can enjoy a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues including a cinema complex. It is in fact a hub of activity both day and night and it is truly the heart of the Belmont community. But also in this precinct are the services working families and the elderly rely on. Including - doctors, physiotherapists, dentists and other specialists. As well as banks, post office and bus port - which is the main public transport system operating in the city.

As a city - Belmont is in some ways unique. Although it is very close to Perth city, families and the elderly tend to use local services and facilities almost exclusively. I am aware of residents who will not venture as far as the City of Perth from one year to the next.

It is in some respects the very best model for a thriving local community where people work, live and recreate together. It has a population of almost 31,000 and there are some 14,000 residential properties. It is also a diverse city. Along with river front apartments there is a significant state housing presence. That means there are a significant number of families with low incomes. State housing provides over 500 aged pensioners residences in the city. And in total - ten percent of the city’s population reside in low cost state sponsored housing.

This leads me to the importance of having a Medicare office located in the heart of Belmont. Because low income earners and pensioners don’t have money sitting in bank accounts for emergencies. Pensioners and low income earners, in many instances, rely on Medicare cash refunds for GP services. They then use the refund to purchase the medicines their doctors prescribe. And Medicare offices can provide cash refunds to patients immediately following their doctor’s appointment.

The nearest Medicare office is located in Cannington which is some 10 kilometres from Belmont. There is no direct public transport route. And, as we are all aware, pensioners and low income earners are more likely to rely on public transport systems to get around. So - to get to the Cannington Medicare office from the Belmont centre you are required to take a bus to Victoria Park. Then walk approximately 60 metres to another bus stop to transfer to a second bus that will complete the journey. There is a 60 metre walk between the stop of the first bus in Victoria Park and bus stop for the second to Cannington. And total travel time from Belmont to Cannington is estimated as 57 minutes. The same process this then repeated to return home.

So a round trip to claim money that you are entitled to claim will take in excess of 2 hours and 4 buses. There is also of course the additional expense of bus fares. This journey is being taken by the elderly and mothers with young children. They travel with prams and with infirmities. They travel on days when the temperature can reach 40 degrees Celsius and also through winter.

Medicare does offer easyclaim services through five pharmacies in the neighbouring suburb of Victoria Park.

But the easyclaim system offers clients a quick lodgement of claims - - not cash refunds. Medicare offices are an integral part of many communities.

This is not the first time a petition has been presented to the Parliament on this matter. In 2000 my former colleague Kim Wilkie also tabled a petition in the other house. Eight years later the call for a local Medicare office has increased The petition that has now been tabled includes more than 10 times the number of signatories. And with almost 12,000 signatories it represents over one third of the population of the City of Belmont. The petition shows the commitment of the people of Belmont to the establishment of a Medicare office in their city.

And I ask that the Minister give every consideration to supporting the opening of such a critical government service.