GP clinic closure in the spotlight in Katherine election race

KATHERINE’S election candidates have revealed how they would address the impending closure of the town’s only private GP clinic if elected to government.

• Katherine’s only GP clinic to close

KATHERINE’S election candidates have revealed how they would address the impending closure of the town’s only private GP clinic if elected to government.

It was revealed this week that Gorge Health, Katherine’s only GP service for non-Indigenous residents, would close on October 28.

While the clinic’s principal GP, Dr PJ Spafford, will continue practising in Katherine in a reduced capacity, the closure will further limit locals’ access to GPs in a town that already has too few per capita.

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Speaking today, Territory Alliance’s Katherine candidate Melanie Usher hit out at the Labor government for not doing enough to act on the issue and said it showed it did not take the town seriously.

“Labor has known about this issue for a long time and they have failed Katherine, and that’s really disappointing for us,” she said.

“This will be the first issue that whoever is elected will have to deal with and they will have to act quickly to make sure there is no gap in access to GPs when the clinic closed.

“I am confident that if I am successful we’ll be able to stand up something very quickly to provide continuity of service, but at this stage what that might be is unclear.”

A spokeswoman for CLP candidate Jo Hersey said an elected CLP government would work with stakeholders to make sure residents of Katherine and surrounding areas had a GP service.

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Independent Clinton Booth said the clinic’s closure was a serious issue and Katherine needed to be made more liveable to attract health professionals.

But Labor candidate Kate Ganley said the issue shouldn’t be politicised as part of an election campaign.

“GP services are funded by the federal government, and I’ll work with all levels of government and stakeholders to smooth the way to make sure all Katherine residents have access,” she said.

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