Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Ludwig. Can the minister outline for the Senate how the government plans to boost and support Australia’s health workforce and, in particular, how will the government tackle the critical issue of a doctors’ shortage, and how does this differ to past policies that we have seen in Australia?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Crossin for her question regarding the lifeblood of our health system, the people who look after us when we are unwell. The Rudd government is working to build a strong, skilled and sustainable health workforce after years of neglect by those opposite and their health minister who ripped $1 billion out of funding during their tenure.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is what the opposition did, and they do not like to be reminded of that. An urgent problem we are addressing is Australia’s serious doctor shortage. We inherited a situation where workforce shortages are impacting on 59 per cent of Australians, where one in six working families are struggling to get to see a GP, where some towns require and rely on locum support and where often the only alternative for care is the local hospital. It was the Liberals who got us into this mess—those on the other side—and it was they who recklessly ignored it and did nothing to remedy it after 12 long years of neglect. The Rudd government’s health reforms will tackle the doctor shortage, expand capacity and deliver better health and hospital services. Our $632 million investment will train a record number of doctors. In total the Rudd government’s investment will deliver an additional 5,500 new training GPs, 680 medical specialists and 5,400 prevocational general practice program training places over this decade. Our package, combined with earlier workforce investments, will deliver around five million extra services to the community by 2013. These major investments will meet projected shortfalls. They will target communities that are underserviced and address specialities where shortages are most acute. They will also help reduce pressure on hospitals by improving access and availability of GP and specialist services. (Time expired)

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister explain to the Senate how the government’s health reform plans will promote equality in Australia by improving access to health care in regional and rural areas?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note those opposite who interject do not like the idea of improving our health system. I thank Senator Crossin for her question and would like to note at the outset the Rudd government’s commitment to ensuring that Australians everywhere can access the health care they need. That is why we are tackling the chronic shortage of doctors in rural and regional Australia. This shortage was aggravated by the previous government’s decision to cap GP places at 600. That was the decision made by those opposite, a breathtaking, irresponsible move from one of their former health ministers—the opposition leader today. Our $632 million investment, which will train a record number of doctors, will more than double the number of places for medical specialists to do their training where the community actually needs them. What is more, last year’s budget provided $134 million to address the shortages of doctors in rural and regional Australia and on 1 July almost 500 communities around Australia will become eligible for rural incentives. (Time expired)

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I thank the minister for outlining those plans and so now I am interested to know if the minister could inform the Senate of the community’s reaction to the government’s plan to train a record number of doctors. In particular, how does this plan differ from past approaches?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Crossin for her supplementary question about our plans to ensure Australians can access the health care they need. The response to our plan from people at the front line of medical care in Australia has been very positive. Dr Andrew Pesce from the AMA said ‘this is a good move forward’. He said:

This is one of the parts of the jigsaw puzzle that we need to move forward with with the help of the reform agenda.

I have another quote, from Dr Chris Mitchell from the Royal Australian College of GPs:

This is a very important investment by the government into general practice …

Contrast this with the ongoing insistence by the Leader of the Opposition that ‘the federally run parts of our health system were working pretty well under the Howard government’. I think most Australians would dispute that having 59 per cent of Australians suffering from a doctor shortage was a sign that something was in fact working well. (Time expired)