Newsroom

July 14, 2025

FEDERAL Member for Kennedy Bob Katter said government must do more to provide health services to people in regional and remote areas after a Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) study found men are dying up to 13.6 years earlier, and women 12.7 years earlier than their metropolitan cousins.

"We are pleading with government to extend Medicare benefits to regional and remote residents to include telehealth appointments across the board, including for specialist nurse practitioners," Mr Katter explained.

"We need to put in place more avenues of access for non-metropolitan Australians to receive medical services."

RACGP's Rural Health in Australia Snapshot 2025 study also found that patients in very remote Australia use Medicare almost 50 percent less than those who live in our cities and experience longer waiting times to see a GP than those in major cities.

"There are people in my electorate who need to drive 20 hours to see the nearest specialist, and while they get state government travel assistance, it doesn't cover the cost of accommodation, taxis if needed, the extra costs of buying food while away from home, and taking days off work.

"The money saved on travel costs, especially as regional and remote flight costs are exorbitant, can be put towards covering Medicare rebates for non-metropolitan Australians who are suffering poor health outcomes from simply not living on the coast," Mr Katter said.

"And I hear people say, 'move to the city then', but who will mine the minerals to make your computers and mobile phones? Who will grow the food you eat and the fibres that make your clothes?

"As a country we need to do better at providing healthcare to every Australian. We need to support the people who feed and clothe us."