ACT Labor has announced it would set up a public medical imaging service at the Belconnen Walk-in Centre, start building a new health centre in West Belconnen, and expand the planned North Gungahlin Health Centre in Casey to include spaces for community organisations.

Patients at the Walk-in Centre would be able to access free X-rays and ultrasounds immediately, without needing to book another service or visit a different location. Labor states that this would free up the hospital imaging services and reduce wait times for patients with urgent and complex needs. Canberrans could book an X-ray or ultrasound through Canberra Health Services or be referred by a GP. More than 11,000 patients have accessed an imaging service at Weston Creek (a 2020 Labor election commitment) since June 2023, and 3,000 patients attended a Walk-in Centre and received an X-ray the same day.

“A new public imaging service in Belconnen is another example of Labor working to deliver more health services for Canberrans,” Chief Minister Andrew Barr said. “We will invest in health services across the Territory so people can access the right healthcare, in the right place and at the right time.

“Labor built our network of nurse-led Walk-in Centres, and only a Labor Government will keep investing in them so every Canberran can access free public healthcare when they need it.”

However, Independents for Canberra candidate Sneha KC said: “While Labor highlights the success of the Weston Creek imaging service, the nearly three-year delay from promise to delivery reveals a concerning gap between announcements and timely action.

“The new imaging services planned for Belconnen, though intended to ease hospital pressure, fail to address underlying issues like staffing shortages and fragmentation of care across our system.

“Instead of focusing on endlessly adding new infrastructure, the emphasis should be on addressing core problems underpinning our long wait times and limited access to care. Otherwise, we will continue failing to uphold the promise of ‘free public healthcare’ for Canberrans.”

Labor would build a new health centre in Macnamara to support the growing population in Ginninderry and West Belconnen. It would be staffed by nursing, medical and allied health professionals.

Labor would expand the planned North Gungahlin Health Centre in Casey to include spaces for community organisations, including information sessions, parents’ groups, and classes to promote health and wellbeing.

David Pollard, Independents for Canberra candidate for Yerrabi, said: “More space for community organisations is a welcome promise, but it joins the end of a long list of unfulfilled promises. The number of community groups in Gungahlin screaming out for space means they aren’t going to be able to deliver for everyone. Who is going to get priority? Who is going to miss out?

“This is exactly where we need independents to deliver accountability and outcomes for the community. We’ve all had enough of ‘tick the box’ consultation.”

“We have heard clearly from Canberrans that they want access to more local health services, and we know investing more in preventive and community-based care takes pressure off our hospitals,” health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said.

“From a new Northside Hospital to expanded services in our Walk-in Centres and new Health Centres, we will keep investing in our public health system.

“Labor has a plan to build more health infrastructure and deliver better services to meet the growing health needs of our community.”

But political candidates from other parties were cautious.

“Labor is very good at making sweeping announcements before each election and then forgetting about them,” Belco Party co-convenor Bill Stefaniak said. “I’ll believe it when I see it, and I’d ask the same old question. Why weren’t some of these things done before?

“Also, how are they going to be paid for? At least the Belco Party will not proceed with stage 2B of the tram, thus freeing up $4 to $10 billion for other more important things – like fixing our broken hospital system.”

ACT Greens MLA Emma Davidson said: “The Greens have a bold, transformative and achievable vision to make healthcare free and more accessible across the whole Territory. Labor’s announcement to expand health clinics is something we expect any government to do – its core, everyday business.

“The ACT Greens will go further and faster to deliver truly universal healthcare in Canberra. Our plan will see 160,000 free GP visits every year, free drop-in mental health safe havens in every town centre, and completely new ways to support Canberrans live healthier more fulsome lives such as the centre for neurodivergence, an Australian first integrated inpatient unit for eating disorders, a perinatal mental health unit where parent and baby can bond together, and an independent health board to improve transparency, accountability and confidence in our health system.”