‘Keep up the momentum’: New RACGP President visits Parliament

New RACGP President Dr Michael Wright has wasted no time when it comes to advocacy in Federal Parliament, meeting with several MPs in Canberra on Monday.
 
Dr Wright will spend two days in the nation’s capital with the aim of meeting Australia’s health decisionmakers and talking to them directly about what GPs and the profession wants and needs moving forward.
 
The suite of meetings comes just days after he took on the position at the RACGP’s GP24 national conference in Perth, where he also met face-to-face with Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler.
 
Dr Wright said it was encouraging to see his ‘interest in the need for more funding for GP services’ was matched by Australia’s political leaders.
 
‘I’m still in my first week as RACGP President and I’m still very excited after taking over from Dr Nicole Higgins,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘Now, we’ve come to Canberra today and that interest is across all sides of Parliament.
 
‘It’s really promising to see the interest in the need for more GP funding and greater support for the GP workforce of today and tomorrow throughout the Parliament.’
 
Just days after he took over the role, Dr Wright said it was important he headed straight to Canberra to ensure the RACGP’s advocacy is sustained throughout the presidential handover.
 
‘It was really important that I got to Canberra soon to keep up the momentum that Nicole has started, so that all sides of Parliament know the college’s ideas and central role in supporting general practice,’ he said.
 
‘With my background in health economics, I’m very keen to clearly explain why increased funding for general practice is the best investment in our health system and for the sustainability of it.’
 
Alongside RACGP CEO Georgina van de Water, Dr Wright’s meetings throughout Monday included with Federal Assistant Mental Health Minister Emma McBride, and Labor MPs Dr Mike Freelander and Dr Gordon Reid, who is also Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of General Practice.
 
The pair also met with Opposition Health Minister Anne Ruston, and Independent MP Allegra Spender.
 
With patients’ costs rising, a growth of chronic disease, and a faltering Medicare System, the meeting comes at a vital point for general practices and GPs across Australia.
 
Just days ago, it was revealed that the percentage of people not visiting the GP due to cost continues to rise, up from 7% in 2022–23 to 8.8% for 2023–24.
 
And it is those aged 25–34 years old who are being most impacted.
 
‘We know there’s a cost-of-living crisis, and all sides of Parliament know that we need to increase funding for GP services,’ Dr Wright said.
 
‘We’ve had positive feedback on the ideas that the college is promoting, we’ve been getting a positive reception to our ideas and asks.’
 
‘If this first week is any indication, the next couple of years are going to be very busy, but I look forward to it.’
 
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Federal Government general practice reform Mark Butler RACGP advocacy