GP clinics across northern Victoria could be forced to close under Labor’s destructive health tax, the Nationals Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad has told Parliament.
Ms Broad urged the Treasurer to immediately scrap the tax, saying it would severely impact regional GP clinics and the communities they serve.
“I met with a local doctor in Bendigo recently who said that this tax will force many GPs to close their practices or increase fees to cover the tax,” she said.
“In many rural areas of northern Victoria there is only one practice in a town. If they close, health services in these communities will disappear.
“This tax will increase the cost of seeing a doctor when people are already struggling with rising living costs.
“It will drive more patients to overwhelmed emergency departments and mean that some will not even go to a doctor, making matters even worse.”
Ms Broad said the industry had warned that the tax would put many practices out of business, end bulk-billing and increase the cost of seeing a doctor by almost 30 per cent.
“It is a retrospective tax without any thresholds, with thousands of GPs facing payroll tax changes for the first time. I am not surprised that medical clinics are considering legal action.”
Media Contact: Linda Barrow 0484 303 764 linda.barrow@parliament.vic.gov.au