How’s your health? Have you seen a specialist lately? If so, you probably faced an unenviable choice: pay a hefty fee to see a private doctor or endure a long wait in the public system.

This dilemma is symptomatic of a system that’s been left on autopilot for far too long. The federal government has thrown the kitchen sink at improving access to GPs. Specialists – who bulk-bill less, charge much more, and have longer wait times – have mostly been left in the too-hard basket.