Australia’s next Government must bring more GPs to the bush

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has welcomed commitments from the major political parties in the lead up to the Federal Election to boost Australia’s rural workforce, with GPs saying this will save lives in some of our most marginalised communities.  

Last week the Coalition announced an additional $100 million earmarked for rural healthcare for additional Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) and upgrading regional medical training facilities across Australia. This follows the Australian Labour Party’s commitment in February of $45 million for 100 new medical CSPs per year from 2026, increasing to 150 from 2028.  

RACGP Rural Chair Associate Professor Michael Clements said: “There has been a longstanding struggle in Regional Australia to attract and retain healthcare professionals. 

“The commitments made by the ALP and the Coalition will make it easier for people in rural and remote areas to access affordable specialist GP care. 

“When it comes to CSPs, the Coalition’s plan matches the ALP’s commitment and goes one step further, guaranteeing that 200 of the medical CSPs would be for regions to ‘tackle the chronic rural health workforce shortage’. 

“Increasing medical student infrastructure also increases allied health, admin staff and nursing staff, and helps to build community. 

“We recently welcomed the ALP’s announcement of a new medical school at Queensland University of Technology with an emphasis on training GPs to work in areas of priority workforce need.  

“The new medical school opening at Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory next year, with 40 CSPs, has been another excellent initiative from this Government to meet communities’ need for more GPs. The NT has a serious shortage of specialist GPs – with around 29% fewer GPs per Territorian than in New South Wales or Victoria, despite their high need for chronic disease support. 

“GPs and other doctors who study in regional areas are far more likely to stay and practice in these areas. When we get GP trainees into rural areas, they get to know the area and the lifestyle and form attachments within the community they are working in, making them more likely to stay long-term.  

“Every commitment made to invest more in regional and rural education and training, brings us one step closer to building the robust workforce we need to reach every postcode in Australia. 

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright sees these commitments as an important step for building the sustainable general practice workforce Australia needs.  

“These commitments are crucial for increasing access to general practice care in regional and remote Australia, but they are just one of a number of steps needed,” he said. “We need to see Australia’s next Government working with GPs to ensure that no communities struggle without access to a GP.”  

“Everyone in Australia deserves access to affordable, quality care from a specialist GP who knows them, and their history.”