Speech to Parliament by Libby Coker MP on 27th July 2022:
Congratulations, Deputy Speaker Claydon. We all know just how difficult it is to get in to see the doctor, particularly in regional areas like mine in the electorate of Corangamite. My constituents constantly tell me this. They are often frustrated because they need help to overcome an illness, get a medical certificate or just get back to work as soon as possible. The Albanese government understands this frustration, and we are working on our pre-election commitment to make it easier for people in my electorate and across Australia to see a doctor sooner and closer to home. Under our government, local medical practices will now be able to recruit from a much bigger pool of doctors with the updating and extension of the distribution priority areas, the DPAs, across the nation. Put simply, this means more medical graduates and overseas trained doctors will be able to work in regional and remote areas. In my electorate, this DPA extension will have significant benefit, with DPA status now applying to Bannockburn, Torquay and Ocean Grove and across parts of the Bellarine.
I am proud our government is delivering on this election commitment. It is the first of many our Albanese government will make to strengthen our health system, and I look forward to working with my constituents and local health organisations to help make the best health outcomes possible for my electorate and across our nation.
