ACT Labor commits to training and payroll tax relief

The RACGP has welcomed a suite of election promises from the Australian Capital Territory’s Labor Party, aimed at enticing more GPs to the region and expanding their scope of practice.
 
This week, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced that, if re-elected when ACT residents cast their votes next month, it will exempt income earned by GPs for bulk-billed services from payroll tax liabilities from 1 July 2025.
 
He promised an $11 million fund to encourage more bulk billing in the ACT and expand the availability of multidisciplinary care in local general practices. 
 
The RACGP labelled it a ‘promising approach’ but said the design of the proposal must be discussed with relevant stakeholders.
 
Labor also committed $4 million for a professional development and wellbeing fund to attract general practice registrars, and to increase GPs’ scope of practice through an expanded role in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.
 
The announcements come following months of criticism from the RACGP, including raising significant concerns about the Territory’s approach to payroll tax and its impact on patients and practices.
 
New South Wales and ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman said Labor’s election commitments will give practices more certainty about their fiscal viability and ability to hire staff.
 
‘This has been a weight on practices’ ability to recruit GPs from outside the ACT and plan for the future,’ she said.
 
‘It’s also fair to say our discussions with ACT Labor on payroll tax were contentious. While we still need to work out the details and consult with our members, this announcement shows a commitment to working with GPs on a pragmatic solution.
 
‘I hope that if Labor is re-elected to government, this makes Canberra a far more attractive environment to start a practice, train in, and work in as a GP.’
 
Dr Hoffman said the proposal to give junior doctors more general practice experience is also welcome but added that more needs to be done.
 
‘The best way to encourage junior doctors to train as specialist GPs is to directly incentivise that training, but ensuring junior doctors experience general practice rotations will encourage more of them to consider training as GPs,’ she said.
 
‘Junior doctors should have the opportunity to experience the challenges and rewards of a career as a GP via rotations early in their training.
 
‘It would be the smart move, and given many junior doctors take a pay cut to train as a GP that other specialists in training simply do not face, an equitable one.’
 
Labor’s promise comes after Independents for Canberra’s politicians also committed to incentive packages and a new strategy to prevent burnout for GPs if it holds the balance of power.
 
The group also committed to a ‘co-designed retention and burnout prevention strategy for existing GPs’ but the details are yet to be released.
 
The ACT election will be held on 19 October.
 
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ACT general practice funding GP workforce scope of practice