THE HON WARREN SNOWDON MP
Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health
and Regional Services Delivery
MEDIA RELEASE
29 October 2009
More Funding to Support Rural Health Infrastructure
The Rudd Government will inject a further $6.1 million to improve local health infrastructure in
40 rural and remote communities throughout Australia.
The Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery,
Warren Snowdon, today announced the third round of grants under the Government’s National
Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP).
“The Rudd Government is committed to ensuring all Australians have timely access to quality
health and medical services, when and where they need it,” Mr Snowdon said.
“Helping local communities in regional and rural centres develop new, or upgrade existing,
health infrastructure is something the Government takes very seriously.”
The projects announced today include:
$551,650 to build a primary health care centre in Lightning Ridge (NSW) and
accommodate staff from the NSW Outback Division of General Practice.
$286,550 to the Shire of Northampton in Kalbarri (WA) to extend a surgery to
accommodate two consultant rooms, upgrade staff amenities and replace the building’s
roof.
$163,471 to the Clocktower Medical Centre in Sale (VIC) to build student study rooms,
install videoconferencing equipment and purchase medical diagnostic equipment.
Today’s funding announcement builds on grants announced earlier this year. In January, 53
projects were funded through NRRHIP at a cost of $12 million and a further 40 projects costing
$13.9 million were announced as part of the May 2009-10 Budget. A further 27 projects were
funded through NRRHIP in June at a cost of $5 million.
“The funding for these new projects demonstrates the Rudd Government’s continuing
commitment to ensuring the stability of health services in rural and remote communities,” Mr
Snowdon said.
“The program is highly competitive, and I congratulate all the successful communities, councils
and health practices who have secured funding.
“There is an ongoing need for support from the Australian Government in this area, and a fourth
funding round will be announced soon.”
Further information on the program is available from the Department of Health and Ageing
contacting the department on 1800 780 939 (free call).
A list of successful projects is attached. Funding shown in the table is GST inclusive.
Media contact: Greg Doolan – 0433 345 323 or (02) 6277 7380.
State
Location
Organisation
Project
Total $
NSW
CROOKWELL
Upper Lachlan
Shire Council
Undertake upgrade of utilities, renewal of soft
furnishings and heating and cooling.
$60,429.50
NSW
LEETON
Murrumbidgee
General Practice
Network
To purchase medical and IMIT equipment to increase
the scope and quality of services to be delivered to the
local area.
$31,318.91
NSW
LIGHTNING
RIDGE
NSW Outback
Division of
General Practice
Ltd
To construct a Primary Health Care Centre in Lightning
Ridge to house GPs, administration and health
promotional activities. The building will also
accommodate the Lightening Ridge Multi Purpose
centre as well as staff of the NSW Outback DGP.
$551,650.00
NSW
MORUYA
Queen Street
Medical Centre
A purpose-built health care facility will be constructed
on an adjoining block and be physically linked to the
current building. This will provide additional consulting
space including improved teaching facilities. There will
be an adjoined self-contained unit for short term use by
GP registrars and students during their rural allocation.
$550,000.00
NSW
MUDGEE
Mudgee Medical
Centre
Developments
Pty Ltd
Construction of a purpose-built medical facility on land
currently being purchased from the Greater Western
Area Health Service and adjacent to the Mudgee
District Hospital and Community Health Centre.
Examination beds and lights to be acquired.
$549,235.80
NSW
NARRANDERA
Rebecca
Robertson
Purchase speech pathology equipment and resources
to establish a practice in the Riverina community.
$9,450.21
NSW
TAREE
Taree Medical
Centre
Purchase of IT equipment to develop and improve IT
teaching facilities for GP Registrars and Medical
Students.
$45,926.00
NSW
WARREN
Warren Shire
Council
Construction and fitout of an extra four consulting
rooms - would be used by General Practitioners,
Registrars Practice Nurse plus visiting Allied Heath and
Specialist services.
$551,650.00
NT
KATHERINE
Wurli-Wurlinjang
Aboriginal
Corporation
Establish a demountable office block to provide office
space for three officers from the Alcohol and Other
Drugs program.
$166,100.00
QLD
BOONAH
Grow On
Occupational
Therapy
Purchase a range of occupational therapy equipment
and resources to maintain and improve services.
$14,869.44
QLD
BUNGALOW
Far North
Queensland
Rural Division of
General Practice
Extension of Eacham Medical Centre to provide two
additional consulting rooms, enlarge the waiting room
area, provide a Manager’s work area and a sterilisation
room and to refurbish the existing practice space
including updating the computer system, replace or
upgrade of some existing medical equipment and
purchase additional office furniture.
$147,246.00
QLD
CHARLEVILLE
Dr Chester
Wilson
Purchase video equipment and laptop to be used in
student/registrar training in conjunctions with existing
rhinoscope and a slit lamp.
$15,455.00
QLD
KINGAROY
BetterLife
Directions Pty
Ltd (Aggregate
Corp)
Upgrade of IT equipment to help overcome current
technology limitations and work more efficiently to
better service the local community.
$38,763.87
QLD
MONTO
Central
Queensland
Rural Division of
General Practice
Improve access to health services by establishing a
purpose built ‘walk-in-walk-out’ primary health care
facility. The facility will also create additional space to
allow the practice to undertake registrar training.
$535,150.00
QLD
MOUNT
SURPRISE
Etheridge Shire
Council
Construction of a new examination room for visiting
GPs and other health professionals and provide
additional and updated equipment.
$165,726.00
QLD
MUNDUBBERA
GP Links - Wide
Bay
Extend the existing surgery to create four consulting
rooms and add an additional waiting room to
accommodate two full time GPs. Visiting specialists and
allied and community health practitioners.
$477,730.00
QLD
YEPPOON
CQ Physio
Group
Equip the recently developed CQ Physio Group
practice located in Yeppoon The much needed
expansion of the practice will improve access to health
services within the region, as well as increase the range
of privately insurable health services available to
residents of the remote community.
$43,251.49
SA
BOOLEROO
CENTRE
Lucy R Arthur
Upgrade current technology and purchase new
physiotherapy equipment to improve efficiency and
better serve the local communities.
$51,450.30
SA
GUMERACHA
Gumeracha
Medical Practice
Medical equipment and furnishings for the new practice
nurse area, treatment room, consulting rooms and
registrar training facilities.
$52,598.98
SA
JAMESTOWN
Lisa Satorio
Purchase a Whole Body Vibration Unit to enhance
physiotherapy treatment.
$1,485.00
SA
QUORN
Flinders Ranges
Council
Modifications to the existing building will provide rooms
for another GP, medical students and registrars.
$551,650.00
SA
RENMARK
Renmark
Physiotherapy
Service
Enhance physiotherapeutic services to the Renmark
Paringa community by updating existing physiotherapy
and IT equipment.
$66,324.50
TAS
EXETER
Exeter Medical
Centre
Construct two new rooms that will allow GP registrars to
consult independently and have access to both on and
off site training facilities, plus the purchase of
equipment for rooms.
$148,463.70
TAS
HUONVILLE
Huon Doctors
Surgery
Refurbish rooms within premises to make them suitable
for medical students and junior doctors. This will enable
junior medical staff to work in close proximity to the
teaching doctor in a supported environment and
maximise their learning experience.
$211,682.81
VIC
BACCHUS
MARSH
Bacchus Marsh
Medical Centre
Convert the storage room to consultation rooms for
employment of chronic disease manager and
consultation room for registrars and medical students,
with fitout.
$28,061.40
VIC
CANN RIVER
Cann Valley
Bush Nursing
Centre
Purchase of equipment for dental clinic, GPs clinic,
Maternal & Child Welfare Clinic and nurses’ clinic.
$8,904.10
VIC
CRESWICK
Creswick
Medical Service
To construct additional consulting and treatment rooms
along with providing extra space for reception, staffing
and admin space, and to fitout the consult and
treatment rooms with new equipment to continue to
provide comprehensive care to members of the
community and to provide training places for doctors
and nurses.
$547,194.97
VIC
DINGEE
Dingee Bush
Nursing Centre
Inc
Purchase basic modern podiatry equipment necessary
to provide safe practices.
$6,930.00
VIC
HEYFIELD
Heyfield
Hospital Inc
Undertake a detailed financial analysis and
community/stakeholder consultation to guide the
development of appropriate health service delivery
models to address community needs and long term
viability - plus purchase of emergency equipment.
$106,618.60
VIC
HORSHAM
Wimmera Foot
Clinic
Purchase equipment to fitout an existing room to make
a fourth consultation room, and to upgrade computer
equipment.
$49,601.51
VIC
MALLACOOTA
Mallacoota
District Health
and Support
Service
Refurbishment and fitout of the physiotherapy room
with a video conferencing/training facility to enable
practitioners to consult with other professionals in other
locations.
$36,768.04
VIC
MYRTLEFORD
Alpine Eye Care
Purchase computer system with patient record software
installed and a fundus camera. A small amount of
electrical work required.
$49,819.00
VIC
OCEAN GROVE
Ocean Grove
Medical Clinic
Extend existing building with addition of two rooms
dedicated to providing a training area.
$141,804.30
VIC
SALE
Clocktower
Medical Centre
Construct an additional two dedicated student study
rooms, install videoconferencing equipment for training
and conference needs, purchase medical diagnostic
equipment and restructure existing area used by
students to accommodate diagnostic equipment.
$163,471.00
VIC
WALWA
Walwa Bush
Nursing Centre
Upgrade IT equipment to maintain and improve hospital
management as recommended by an independent
audit. Conduct a strategic service plan in order to
implement the recommendations of the Burgell study
and design systems for efficiency in the newly
structured WBNC/WMC.
$50,174.30
WA
BUSSELTON
Dr James
Graham
Purchase a specialised chiropractic table.
$27,500.00
WA
ESPERANCE
Esperance
Podiatry
Purchase podiatry equipment which includes a patient
chair, an operator’s chair, podiatry cabinet, drill,
doppler, small x-ray viewer, 12 sets of podiatry
instruments and notebook computer.
$20,678.26
WA
EUCLA
Silver Chain
Nursing
Association
Purchase a sustainable and viable energy source for
the Eucla Remote Area Health Service (RAHS).
$70,675.00
WA
KALBARRI
Shire of
Northampton
Extend surgery to accommodate two consultant rooms,
toilet, staff amenities as well as replace leaky roof.
$286,550.00
WA
KULIN
Shire of Kulin
To renovate and update the existing medical practice
and to purchase a small amount of equipment, to
increase health and allied health services by providing
adequate consulting rooms and facilities.
$110,000.00
NEWS 
