SUBECTS: Regional GP services; lockdown protests; vaccination rates; supplies to NSW; Stretton by-election; Duncan Pegg; Brisbane Olympics


DR STEVE CARNEY: Good afternoon. My name is Steve Carney. I'm one of the doctors who owns this practice here in Ningi. It's a lovely day. It's a lovely area. I love working in Ningi. I love working with the people and patients of Bribie Island and other surrounding areas. But I think we all agree that the reason I'm talking today is this is an area of need. And we're struggling to meet the primary health care needs of the area. I think there's three things that can be done to improve the situation. The first thing is, we probably need to remunerate GPs a little better. The Medicare change has had quite a negative effect on general practice and people are voting with their feet, only one in say 11 graduates choose general practice now. Most of them choose other specialities that are better remunerated. So firstly, we need to remunerate GPs better. The second thing we need to do is have access to locally trained doctors who have rural scholarships. This was only taken away in 2019. And the result has been disastrous, as doctors numbers are declining in this area. The third thing we need, is again something we only had in 2019. And that is access to overseas trained doctors. Doctors who are competent, and keen to live and work in beautiful areas like this. There are many people keen to come over. Unfortunately, the red tape of the visa system has resulted in a number of them coming to areas like this, and then simply being expected to move more rurally. This has been an unacceptable situation for a practice like this. And this community deserves better than a high turnover of doctors that is completely unnecessary. So those are my three points. We need to remunerate general practice better. We need access, like we have in the past, to rurally bonded doctors and to overseas trained doctors, but with removing some of the red tape that exists today. Thank you.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY:Well, thanks very much, Steve. It's great to be back here in Longman, with Rebecca Fanning our candidate, and with local state MP Ali King. Today, we've heard from Steve, the problems that are there in general practice, problems that we've heard echoed across, out of metro areas and regional communities. Communities struggling to get access to a GP, to get access to a doctor to get access to bulk billing, communities which will also suffer as a result of the almost 1000 changes to the Medicare rebate that was brought in on July 1, without appropriate notice without working out how much extra important surgeries like getting a hip replacement will cost. Communities like this deserve and need first class healthcare and Labor will always stand up for first class health care.

I did want today to make some comments on what we saw yesterday in the demonstrations, particularly those in my hometown of Sydney. They were reprehensible. Our front line services, including our police officers have been doing a remarkable job to keep Australians safe. They deserve respect, not abuse, and not violent demonstrations. We need to make sure that every Australian treats each other properly. And what we've seen during this pandemic, including during the current lockdowns, of which 14 million Australians are still in lockdown today, is that Australians have been magnificent. They've followed the directives, they've done the right thing by their family, their friends, their neighbours and their communities overwhelmingly making sacrifices in order to keep each other safe. We know at the moment in Greater Sydney, there's some 43 people in intensive care units. Of those 42 of them had no vaccinations whatsoever. And one person had only one jab. It's reminder of how vulnerable the community is, and remains, to the this insidious, COVID disease. And we've also seen tragically, the loss of two lives. We have seen a woman in her 30s and a woman in her 70s both lose their lives. And my heart goes out to their family and to their friends. This will be a really difficult time. We should remember that this disease is indeed very dangerous, which is why we need to do all that we can to keep the community safe. And I say to at least one of the LNP MPs has been out there promoting these rallies yesterday. People expect more of their public representatives and people expect more their leaders as well, should condemn that. As as I certainly do, as the New South Wales Berejiklian Government and the Labor opposition certainly have you noted in doing we need to make sure that we keep each other safe. And on that note, I'd ask Rebecca to make some comments.

REBECCA FANNING: Thank you Albo. Scott Morrison had two jobs this year, the vaccine rollout and quarantine, and he has failed at both. He promised Australians that we were at the front of the queue when it came to the vaccine. And now he's completely botched it with Australia's vaccine rollout the worst in the developed world. He's also failed to build dedicated quarantine facilities. And we can see, continuing to see leaks from hotel quarantine around Australia. Australians are paying the price for Scott Morrison's values. Here in our local community, we need to go into lockdown. Local businesses are losing money and local casual workers lose shifts. We also have a lot of older residents on Bribie Island and the surrounding areas. And when we need to increase COVID restrictions, family members can't visit their loved ones. But Scott Morrison hasn't just failed in his response to the COVID pandemic. He's also making things worse for the people in our community who rely so heavily on health services. As we just heard from Steve, Scott Morrison and his government made changes to the rules for attracting GPs to our local area in 2019. And now locals are struggling to get GP appointments. And now he's just made changes to Medicare funding for nearly 1000 bottle surgeries. The people in our community should be able to access world class health services when and where they need them. And Scott Morrison and his government are just making things worse. Our community deserves better. And I want to be part of an Albanese Labor government that will deliver better health services for our local community.

ALI KING: Great to have Albo here in our community. And thank you so much, Rebecca, and thank you Dr. Steve, for speaking today about something that is very close to my heart every single day as the local member here in Pumicestone. People raised with me the fact that they are waiting weeks, if not up to a month to get a GP appointment. Some people just can't get on the books of a local GP at all. And we know that this is because of decisions that were made by the federal government in 2019. To change our GP priority status. It's just not good enough. This is the oldest state electorate in Queensland. 40% of local residents are over 65. And if people here can't get a GP appointment, then their health is suffering. Our Palaszczuk Labor Governmenr in Queensland is building health infrastructure as fast as we can in this community like our satellite hospital that we're building right now. But at the end of the day, people always need to be able to see their GP when they need, it is just so important. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of local residents have signed my petition to get this change made. And we are calling on federal health Minister Greg hunt, and Scott Morrison to listen to what they need, and make this simple change so that our community can get the GPs that we need right here in our area to take care of our local people. It is so very much needed. And I do want to acknowledge Dr. Steve, for coming and talking to us about it today. Thank you so much.

ALBANESE: Thanks very much, Ali, happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: Anthony, Bill Shorten has suggested 80% of the population will need to be vaccinated before Australia reopened and lockdowns can become a thing of the past. Do you agree?

ALBANESE: Look, I agree that we should take the advice of health experts. The Federal Government at the moment are having a review, of course, that they've said would be ready. It's extraordinary, that they haven't had that review by the Doherty Institute ready now. But we'll await that advice and then respond accordingly. No one wants there to be any restrictions for a day more than is needed. What we need to do is to open up but we know that the key to that is getting the population vaccinated. And the key to that is supply and we just don't have enough vaccines at the moment.

JOURNALIST: Is there a threshhold you think we should strive for?

ALBANESE: I await the expert advice that the Federal Government have have commissioned. Why it hasn't been done before now, it's a question for Scott Morrison. But given that that advice is coming, it is appropriate to wait for that. We don't want restrictions there for one day more than necessary. This is costing jobs. It's costing our economy. It's costing incomes. And it's costing incomes not just for those 14 million Australians who are locked down today, but the flow on effect. We heard on Bribie Island. When we visited earlier today, from people at the RSL and on the Island, the impact that it was having, because people aren't able to visit people aren't able to travel around like would normally happen. Queensland's a great holiday destination. But people aren't able to travel here if they've been to New South Wales in in recent weeks or in Victoria.

JOURNALIST: The UK so far has vaccinated 69 per cent of the population, do you believe 80 per cent of Australians need to be covered by the COVID-19 vaccine?

ALBANESE: Look, Australia historically has had very high vaccination rates. We have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, for giving immunisation to our kids. We know that it keeps our kids safe. We also know that immunisation will keep us safe. If you look at the figures, that are there, those people who are catching the virus, there's the party that took place in Sydney that had more than a dozen people test positive. Every one of them was not immunised. Those people at the party who were immunised didn't catch the virus. We know it's not foolproof. No health product is, is 100 per cent. And we know that people have caught the virus who've had one, or in fewer cases two jabs. But we know that it's critical, we know that it makes the difference. The science tells us that we need to listen to the science. And now note that in the UK, they will be receiving the booster jabs for some of the older population from September. we at the moment are last in the developed world. And that's costing our economy.

JOURNALIST: ATAGI has now changed its advice recommending all adults to get any vaccine. And the Prime Minister and the AMA both called for this change do you think that intervention worked.

ALBANESE: I think ATAGI operates independently and it should do. Free of interference to give it to advice based upon the science. And they do that based upon risk assessments. And the advice, there's not a big change between what they did say previously, which was that people could get the vaccine to AstraZeneca if they consulted with their doctor. And now they say because of the risk assessment has changed. They've made a slight adjustment to that advice.

JOURNALIST: Gladys Berejiklian is pleading with other states to give NSW Pfizer supplies. Is this in the national interest? Putting aside supply issues right now should the other states help?

ALBANESE: The whole issue here is that that states don't have enough vaccines. Every state, I was at a GP clinic a bit like this one in Maryborough yesterday morning, who have not had access to a single Pfizer dose, not one. So the problem we have here is that we don't have enough vaccines across every state, including New South Wales.

JOURNALIST: There was actually double the amount of people in Brisbane than there was at the Sydney protest. Queensland police said they won't hand out any infringement notices do you think that’s the right move?.

ALBANESE: That’s a matter for police. Police should go about their work, free of political advice. Certainly not political advice from someone who's not a Queenslander.

JOURNALIST: Queensland Labor candidate James Martin has claimed victory in the by-election last night. What was your reaction to that?

ALBANESE: Oh look, it's a great outcome and I congratulate James very much on what's a very severe a win for him and for the Palaszczuk government. It's an endorsement of what the Palaszczuk government have been doing in keeping Queenslanders safe. In rejecting the advice that the Prime Minister made during the state election where he came here and joined with the then LNP leader Deb Frecklington, in saying multiple occasions that Queensland should just open its borders and shouldn't have restrictions on it. Deb Frecklington was of course defeated, and Annastacia Palaszczuk had a resounding victory. And this is an outstanding result for a third term government in a by election. And it is a great tribute to James. I wish him well. And I wish, of course, Annastacia Palaszczuk government, continuing to govern in the interest of Queenslanders. The achievement in attaining the Olympics is is an extraordinary victory. But can I say this also that yesterday was a reminder about the passing of Duncan Pegg. Too young, a great local MP a great local representative an advocate passionate about his local community. And it would have been a difficult day for Duncan's family and his many, many friends in the electorate yesterday.

JOURNALIST: Annastacia Palaszczuk has flown in today and she is staying in the presidential suite at the Westin do you think that's fair?

ALBANESE: I think the absolute nonsense about Annastacia Palaszczuk worthwhile trip to the Tokyo Olympics has got to stop. There was a Federal Minister went to the Olympics. I haven't seen one front page about that in any newspaper. He should have gone to the Olympics and we supported him going. We also supported the Brisbane Lord Mayor going. Annastacia Palaszczuk has done the right thing by Queenslanders in going to the Olympics. She's doing a fantastic job. It's a great win for Brisbane for Southeast Queensland, for the whole of Queensland and for Australia. And how about we recognise that achievement, get behind the games, which will be a major economic boost to this great state in 2032. The 2032 Brisbane Olympics will also encourage young people not just here but around the country to engage in sport, to engage in activities. It will be a great thing. I had an enormous privilege of going to the Sydney Olympics in 2000. In my home city, it was a great event. It continues to provide an economic boost for Sydney. Brisbane, Southeast Queensland will continue to do that. And Annastacia Palaszczuk deserves nothing but praise for her achievement. Thanks.

ENDS