The first fortnight of Parliamentary sittings for 2023 has wrapped up and it’s good to be back home in Wide Bay for a few weeks.
On the first day of the sitting fortnight, I spoke in the Federation Chamber about the closure of the general practitioner clinics in Pomona and Imbil that are owned by a Brisbane-based company, and the impact this is having on these communities.
One of the reasons cited for the closures is the Federal Albanese Government’s changes to Distribution Priority Areas (DPA), which now makes it easier to recruit doctors to metropolitan areas – but as there is a limited supply of doctors, it is much harder to bring them to regional communities like ours in Wide Bay. Another reason is the indexation of Medicare rebates, which under successive governments haven’t been keeping pace with rising costs and don’t adequately compensate GPs.
I’m continuing to meet with the Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast Primary Health Network to advocate on behalf of these communities to try to restore services, but this could take some time due to the warped DPA policy. The Government must fix this crisis so people can access a local doctor when they need it.
I finished the sitting fortnight with a speech in the House of Representatives, where I spoke about two causes that are very important to me and my family, and to many people throughout the Wide Bay region.
I highlighted the need for the Federal Government to allocate funding for counselling and support services for women with ovarian cancer. This one is very personal to my family, as my wife Sharon lost her mother to ovarian cancer last year.
Women with this deadly cancer have a one in two chance of dying, and those who go into remission know it has a very high chance of reoccurring.
The second cause I spoke about is the need for funding for Motor Neurone Disease Queensland, the only MND organisation in Australia that is not funded by their state government. I called on the Queensland Government to provide funding for this organisation to support them in delivering specialised services to people with MND that would allow them to stay at home and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
My mum had MND and I am all too aware of how challenging MND is for those who suffer with it, for their families and the people who care for them.
Community groups and volunteers play a very important role in our society, offering social, cultural, recreational, and educational enrichment opportunities for the communities they serve. These organisations often need assistance with funding for maintenance and upgrades to their facilities and equipment, and to deliver programs and services.
Currently, there is a great opportunity for service, sporting, and community groups to apply for a grant of between $2,500 and $20,000 to purchase equipment or undertake a small capital project that will help strengthen their community.
Round eight of the Australian Government’s Stronger Communities Program has opened, and I encourage community groups in Noosa and surrounding areas to submit an Expression of Interest to this very popular grant program.
Expressions of Interest close on 10 March 2023 and in this round, applicants can request up to 100 per cent of eligible project costs.
A local committee will assess the EOIs and then invited applicants will proceed to the formal application stage which must be completed and lodged by 10 May 2023.
Up to $150,000 in total is available for eligible projects in the Wide Bay electorate.
I encourage eligible organisations interested in bringing forward SCP project proposals to contact my electorate office on telephone 4121 2936, or visit my website llewobrien.com.au/ for copies of the guidelines, eligibility criteria, and the EOI application form.
Previous rounds of the Stronger Communities Fund have supported a range of projects throughout the Noosa Council area, and I look forward to continuing to work with local groups to enhance Noosa’s vibrancy.
