Why should local government bear the burden of GP provision?

MR RICK WILSON MP
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR O’CONNOR

22 April 2026

Why should local government bear the burden of GP provision?

The Albanese government made changes to Medicare on 1^st November 2025, with an eye wateringly huge investment of $8.5 Billion.

According to the Cleanbill 2026 Blue Report*, regional and remote communities have seen a welcome rise in bulk billing rates. But for many of my constituents, access to a GP is still limited, out of pocket costs remain high, and the burden of keeping doctors in town has quietly shifted from the federal and state governments onto those least able to afford it: local governments.

I have been receiving regular updates from the Local Government Rural Health Funding Alliance, led by six rural O’Connor Shires Lake Grace, Kojonup, Gnowangerup, Jerramungup, Ravensthorpe, and Narembeen who are tackling this issue head-on.

The Alliance have found that across rural and remote WA, council spending to support GP services has risen from $7.8 million in 2021-22 to $9.5 million in 2024-25, with 91% of that funding coming from councils with fewer than 5,000 residents.

These councils are not just topping up salaries they are providing housing, vehicles, clinic space, paying utility bills and funding administrative support simply to keep a doctor in town.

Local governments exist to deliver roads, waste services, and community infrastructure-not to underwrite the national health system. Every dollar diverted to keeping a GP practice in their community is a dollar not available to spend on roads, rubbish or recreation.

When local GP access declines, the costs do not disappear, they shift to ratepayers.

Hospitals see increased presentations for conditions that should be managed in primary care. Ambulance services, often run by volunteers, are called on to transport patients vast distances to care.

Families end up shouldering increasing costs of transport, accommodation and unpaid care. I am aware that many O’Connor constituents, especially older people are delaying or foregoing treatment altogether.

The improvement in regional Medicare bulk-billing rates shows that targeted policy can make a difference. But policy success should also be judged by who is still paying the price?

Right now, in my electorate of O’Connor, that price is being paid by our shire councils using up to 16% of their rate revenue to cover GP costs and by patients facing higher out of pocket costs.

Regional WA deserves a health system that works by design, not one propped up by shire council budgets. Residents of O’Connor deserve so much better in the middle of a fuel and cost of living crisis.

* Cleanbill has the objective to increase healthcare accessibility and have a comprehensive program of data collection, more details on www.cleanbill.com.au

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