Media Release

Doubling Rural Health Incentives to help attract and retain healthcare workers in Bombala, Delegate, and Braidwood

A Minns' Government decision to double the maximum incentive offered to healthcare workers for identified positions in remote and rural areas, from $10,000 to $20,000, will have a direct impact on hard to fill positions in the Monaro electorate says Member for Monaro Steve Whan.

Steve Whan said "The rural incentive program is all about hard to fill positions.

"Delegate MPS is a case in point, since coming back in as Member for Monaro, I have heard consistently about the huge effort to keep the facility staffed - sometimes at great expense, with fly in fly out professionals.

"Attracting permanent staff is always preferable, they build links with the community and with patients - and in the long term they cost the taxpayer less.

"I've confirmed that Braidwood, Bombala, and Delegate are all included in the program, which can only be more attractive, with the doubling of the maximum package.

"Chronic workforce and skills shortages contribute to inequitable health outcomes for rural and remote communities; these shortages were exacerbated by the Nationals who drove down real wages for health workers with their unfair wages cap.

"Doubling the incentive to $20,000 for our hardest to fill positions will encourage more workers to take up opportunities in remote communities with critical staff vacancies. Packages are scaled and increase in value in more remote locations."

For more information contact Steve Whan at [email protected]