An elected Dutton Coalition Government will invest $150 million into the Flinders HealthCARE Centre at Flinders University.
Under the Albanese Labor Government, Australia’s health and aged care systems have been facing serious workforce shortages that are impacting Australians’ access to the care they need, when they need it - workforce shortages that have been largely ignored for the past three years.
The Flinders HealthCARE Centre is an excellent project aimed at boosting the workforce across health and aged care, providing significant benefit to South Australians from the city to our regional areas.
It will deliver 1,300 additional healthcare professionals graduating each year to help fill the shortages in our suburbs and regional areas.
It will also open up an additional 10,000 health appointments to ensure South Australians have more timely access to essential healthcare into the future.
We know that under Labor it has never been harder or more expensive to see a doctor, and this investment will add to the more than $9.4 billion committed by the Coalition to address Labor’s health crisis. This includes more than $600 million towards growing the health workforce.
Despite Labor’s claims, the facts are clear. Under the former Coalition Government, bulk billing in South Australia was 87% in 2021-22, and dropped to 73% in the last three years since Labor took office. Even more starkly, in Boothby, where the Prime Minister is today, bulk billing has dropped 16% under Labor, from 82% to just 66%.
Labor has dragged its feet into taking action on workforce shortages, following the leadership shown by the Coalition last year when we announced our plan to incentivise more junior doctors to train as a GP in the community.
Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston said that the Coalition has been calling on the Albanese Government to take workforce shortages seriously for almost three years, but these calls have been falling on deaf ears.
“We are very happy to support this project and we commend Flinders University for their innovative approach to supporting additional workforce into our care sector, because this is one of the greatest challenges facing Australians' access to the care they need.
Candidate for Boothby, Nicolle Flint said, "I'm delighted to support this innovative health project by Flinders University, which will provide excellent new health services for our local community, helping people get the treatment they need sooner.”
"As a proud graduate of Flinders University, and supporter of Flinders Medical Centre, I have always fought for upgrades and investments that will benefit our community. That's why the Federal Coalition Government supported the Flinders Medical Centre, built the new Tonsely Rail station at the Flinders Uni and TAFE Tonsley campus, and extended the rail line up to Flinders Medical Centre and the University.”
Only a Dutton Coalition Government will ensure all Australians have access to the essential healthcare they need, when they need it, no matter where they live.
ENDS
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