ACT Labor: GPs and pharmacists

ACT Labor has promised to set up an $11 million fund to encourage more General Practice bulk billing, so more Canberrans can access primary health care.

The fund would support the opening of new bulk billing general practices and the expansion of existing ones, and help general practices that bulk-bill children with the costs of running a practice. 

Labor intends to work with doctors and professional bodies to recruit and retain GPs. A $4 million Professional Development and Wellbeing Fund would attract GP Registrars to the ACT, improve workforce wellbeing, and create opportunities for GPs in research, education, and professional development. 

Labor plans to encourage junior doctors to consider general practice by offering placements through Canberra Health Services.

“These measures will ease pressure on GPs and give them more capacity to focus on what they do best – providing person centred, quality healthcare to Canberrans,” a Labor spokesperson said. 

Labor would expand the scope of practice for community pharmacists, allowing them to treat and prescribe medicines for common health conditions. 

ACT Greens health spokeswoman Emma Davidson said: “The ACT Greens plan will address the real cost-of-living pressures impacting all Canberrans. While Labor’s commitment is fine, ours goes further, faster and fairer for all Canberrans.”

The ACT Greens have committed to set up four bulk-billing GP clinics and deliver more than 160,000 free doctor’s visits for all Canberrans, not just children. The Greens would provide all facilities and services at clinics, removing the administrative burden on GPs. They would also help GPs to develop their skills in mental health and musculoskeletal care, the two long-term health conditions that affect day-to-day living most for Canberrans, Ms Davidson said.

Canberra Liberals: Support for women

To support women in the ACT, the Canberra Liberals have announced measures focused on the prevention of domestic and family violence, women’s health, funding outreach programs, and workforce participation.

The Canberra Liberals would establish two domestic and family violence fast response units, comprising three police officers, three medical personnel, and three social workers. It would operate like the current PACER (Police, Ambulance & Clinician Early Response) program.

“Domestic and family violence is a scourge in our society, and a Canberra Liberals Government will deliver more support where it is needed most – on our frontline – to ensure that we do everything we can to support those that need it most,” party leader Elizabeth Lee said.

The Liberals would legislate a standalone criminal offence for coercive control, as in other states, and implement an education program developed with frontline service providers and victim survivors. A Liberal motion for coercive control laws, introduced last month, did not pass the Legislative Assembly.

The Liberals would establish a dedicated endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic at the Canberra Hospital. Leanne Castley, shadow health minister and deputy opposition leader, said that thousands of women in the ACT have endometriosis and other conditions, but because facilities are inadequate, they must travel interstate for treatment.

The Liberals would increase funding to help women return to work (including placement, training, and support).

All revenue from the Safer Families Levy would be directed towards frontline domestic and family violence services, while the Liberals also committed $875,000 to fund Fearless Women, an outreach and support service for girls and young women.

Laura Nuttall, ACT Greens spokeswoman for women, criticised the Canberra Liberals for focusing on crisis support, “once people have already experienced violence or significant health issues”, rather than on early intervention and prevention, which she believes “delivers better outcomes for everyone in the community”.

Ms Nuttall did not believe coercive control should be criminalised as a standalone offence, due to limited evidence of its effectiveness, potential risks to vulnerable communities, and the need for more training and education on identifying it. She acknowledged its “traumatic and pervasive, immediate and long-term impacts”.

The Greens would fund domestic, family, intimate and sexual violence organisations; build and buy 10,000 public homes, where people affected by violence could live; and offer 18 hours of free early childhood education to three- and four-year-olds, so more women could work.

“Amidst a continued epidemic of violence against women, it’s essential that all parties take women’s issues seriously,” Ms Nuttall said.

Ms Nuttall called for more support for women with endometriosis and pelvic pain, but noted that there was already a clinic in Canberra Hospital. The Greens would provide more than 160,000 free GP appointments every year.

Strong Independents: Natural environment

The Strong Independents have announced their policy for the natural environment, focusing on managing the effects of climate change and protecting Canberra’s natural environment.

Peter Strong AM and Ann Bray say that rising temperatures and changing weather will affect Canberra’s people, flora and fauna, and environment.

“The ACT government has done well in accessing green energy and other issues such as improving air quality,” Mr Strong said. “Yet they have not planned for the rainy days, or the hot damaging days or the destructive windy days or the freezing days. They talk the talk, but have taken their eye off the real change that is coming. Have they saved for the rainy day? No – they haven’t.”

The Strong Independents would ensure that plans and activities to deal with climate change are completed and effective, and focus on supporting the population, especially those without the resources to handle extreme weather, which could increase homelessness, and lead to significant mental health problems.

“We all share this planet and have a responsibility to look after it for the generations to come,” Ms Bray said. “By looking after our air and water, we look after our health and the health of those less fortunate who can’t mitigate against it, such as the homeless.”

The Strong Independents would involve residents in environmental decisions, simplifying the process for making changes in backyards, and not forcing households and neighbourhoods to grow trees that are too tall and block out sunlight.

“The process for any change in a backyard is far to convoluted,” Ms Bray said. “We agree in regulation and ensuring people do the right thing, but complicated processes don’t help anyone.”

“The government must also bring the population along with them, and stop telling them what they can and can’t do,” Mr Strong said. “They do this without consultation, commonsense or respect. We hear from people who are told that they must have a tree a certain height that would shade their vegetable patch. Yet it seems the big government friendly developers can ignore these rules and do whatever they want.”

The Strong Independents would stop the kangaroo cull and focus on sustainable practices that protect both fauna and flora. They would maintain and grow native species where appropriate (except for possums, which they believe are already abundant). They would support residents to eliminate introduced species like black rats, rabbits, myna, and European wasps from their gardens.

“The health and welfare of our native animals must also be considered,” Mr Strong said. “We see the Greens’ kangaroo cull continues unabated, where rumours about why the cull continues to abound – as rumours always do when information is lacking or not believed. The kangaroo cull has included killing of other wildlife, such as wallabies, and the clubbing of joeys. The Greens are no longer the party for the natural environment.”

The Strong Independents would restore Lake Burley Griffin to a healthy state within 10 years, working with universities and the CSIRO.

“The Lake, Australia’s Lake, should be healthy and fun. Not full of carp and often impacted by blue-green algae.”

They would continue phasing out wood heaters to improve air quality.

To ensure transparency, they would provide twice-yearly updates on climate change plans in government newsletters.