After months of inaction, the Government has finally bowed to pressure and agreed to review its classification system for GPs across Australia.
Changes to the Distribution Priority Area Indicator under this Government have left many outer-suburbs, rural and regional communities with a critical lack of GPs.
Labor has fought hard for these changes, which make it much harder to recruit doctors, to be reviewed.
It has never been more difficult or more expensive to see a doctor than it is under Scott Morrison.
Now that the Government has recognised this issue, it is crucial that they act quickly and conduct a review as soon as possible, in conjunction with the Senate Inquiry into GP shortages which Labor successfully called for.
The review must be transparent, and GPs must be included in the process.
They are trusted medical professionals who see first-hand how GP shortages are affecting Australians, local practices, and communities.
In the meantime, the Government has introduced the ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ Application which will allow practices to seek a review into their DPA status in real time, but more needs to be done.
The Government must put emergency measures in place to ensure all Australians have quick and easy access to healthcare in their own communities.
As recently as June, the Morrison-Joyce Government made almost 1000 changes to Medicare without sufficient consultation.
Labor will always fight to defend and strengthen Medicare, and to make sure all Australians have access to a GP.