Catherine King

Catherine King

CATHERINE KING MP
Federal Member Ballarat
Shadow Minister Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Development

T (03) 5338 8123
Email: Catherine.King.MP@aph.gov.au

Catherine King MP
Electorate Office
5 Lydiard Street North
Ballarat, VIC 3350

Bacchus Marsh
(every Friday from 10am to 3pm)
Lerderderg Library
Geoffrey Hine Room
215 Main Street
Bacchus Marsh, VIC 3340

Open in Google Maps
  • ABOUT
  • BALLARAT
  • MEDIA
    • LOCAL MEDIA
    • NATIONAL MEDIA
  • POLICY
  • CONTACT US
Tuesday, 30 September 2014 / Published in MEDIA

ABBOTTS BUDGET ADDS TO DOCTOR SHORTAGE

Hundreds of qualified medical students will be unable to complete their training due to Abbott Government Budget cuts, worsening Australia’s doctor shortage, the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) today confirmed.

The Abbott Government slashed $115.4 million from GP education and training in the May Budget, ending the Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP).

The PGPPP was a hugely successful program which provided junior doctors with general practice experience in regional and remote communities as part of their compulsory medical internship.

“The AMSA findings confirm the Abbott Government’s cuts will mean hundreds of junior doctors no longer have access to internships,” Shadow Minister for Health Catherine King said today.

“This means hundreds of Australian trained medical students will be forced to either change careers or move overseas to complete their education at a time when Australia is facing a looming shortage of doctors.

“That is why Labor’s increased funding for the PGPPP allowed state and territory governments to offer more medical internships.

“By slashing the PGPPP the Abbott Government has directly increased the shortage of internships for junior doctors around the country.”

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Nick Champion MP said “the Abbott Government’s changes to the Prevocational General Practice Placements Program, together with the decision to axe Health Workforce Australia, are short sighted. They are directly adding to shortages of doctors in regional and remote communities”.

Labor understands the need to address health workforce shortages and calls on the Abbott Government to honour its election commitment of no cuts to health.

The decision to end the PGPPP must immediately be reversed and measures put in place to ensure all medical students who train at Australian universities are able to practice here. 
 
 

Tagged under: 2014

What you can read next

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR REGIONS TOURISM
MORRISON GOVERNMENT VOTES AGAINST MARINE SAFETY
LABOR’S PENSIONER DENTAL PLAN

FILTER BY TYPE:

  • MEDIA
    • LOCAL MEDIA
    • NATIONAL MEDIA

FILTER BY YEAR:

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

© Catherine King. Authorised by Catherine King, Australian Labor Party, Canberra

Noise Birds

TOP