THE HON WARREN SNOWDON MP
Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health
and Regional Services Delivery
Media contact: Paul Williams on 0407 990 723 or paul.williams@health.gov.au
MEDIA RELEASE
14 October 2009
RURAL HEALTH AMONG RUDD GOVERNMENT’S TOP PRIORITIES
Improved health care in regional and remote areas of Australia was a top priority in the Rudd
Government’s program of national health reform, Indigenous, Rural and Regional Health
Minister, Warren Snowdon, said today.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to equitable health care for all
Australians while opening the 27th Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia (CRANA)
Conference in Alice Springs.
“This year’s Federal Budget is delivering more than $206 million to help tackle the shortage
of doctors and health workers and to provide better training and ongoing support for doctors
and for our rural and remote health workforce,” he said.
“We are also introducing a $134.4 million, four-year package of incentives and reforms to
encourage doctors to work in some of Australia’s most isolated rural and remote
communities.
“The encouragement is based on a simple principle: ‘the more remote you go, the greater the
reward’.
“About 500 communities around Australia are now eligible for rural incentive payments for
the first time and more than 2 400 rural doctors are eligible for grant payments to remain in
rural and remote areas,” he said.
The Minister said the government is also providing the capital infrastructure needed to
support training, including new and mobile high-tech simulated learning environments and
the expansion of education and training facilities at major regional hospitals.
He said the government is providing $99.7 million over two years from 2008–10 for
expansion of primary heath care services, regional reforms, capital and infrastructure,
building workforce capacity and evaluation of the initiative.
“This is on top of the $120.5 million maternity services package and the $59.7 million for
eligible Nurse Practitioner access to the MBS and PBS.
“These packages will be well received in regional and remote areas because they improve
services and provide greater flexibility,” he said.
NEWS 
