Majority of new urgent care clinics announced in Labor-held or targeted seats ahead of election
Labor has been warned that “healthcare is too important to be used for pork-barrelling,” as new analysis reveals who benefits the most from new urgent care clinics.
Half of the 50 extra urgent care clinics promised by the Albanese Government are in Labor-held seats, while another five are in electorates the party hopes to win from the Coalition and the Greens.
Independent MPs — who will be critical in deciding which major party forms government if Australians elect a hung parliament — are also big winners under Labor’s $644 million expansion of the popular bulk billed after hours GP services, with seven new locations benefiting crossbench constituencies.
Health Minister Mark Butler on Sunday dismissed accusations of pork-barrelling and claimed the distribution of clinics was assessed based on hospital waiting times and were “very proportional spread” across party lines.
But analysis has found only 16 Coalition seats are earmarked to receive a clinic if Labor wins, of which three — Sturt in South Australia, Leichhardt in Queensland and Braddon in Tasmania — are high on Labor’s election hit list.
The two Greens seats tapped to receive a clinic, Griffith and Brisbane in Queensland, will again be heavily targeted by Labor.
Clinics will also be located in seats Labor is desperate to defend, like Tangney, Hasluck and Pearce in Western Australia, Lyons in Tasmania, Corangamite and McEwen in Victoria, Bennelong, Werriwa, Gilmore, Robertson, Macquarie and Reid in NSW.
Of the 87 clinics already delivered by the Albanese Government this term, 60 are in Labor electorates.
Mr Butler said the first 50 clinics announced ahead of the 2022 election were a “very even spread” of seats, while the 37 additional locations had been nominated by state governments.
The Coalition has promised to retain existing facilities and announced extra clinics in Braddon, Leichhardt, Paterson and Reid — all of which overlap with Labor’s latest pledge.
However, Royal Australian College of GPs President Dr Michael Wright has warned the clinics do not solve the nation’s patient care challenges and raised concerns about their cost effectiveness.
“We are now seeing more than $1 billion will be spent on setting up these clinics, and we still have no sign of an evaluation to show whether they are providing value for money, or helping people keep away from hospital,” he said.
“The best solution … is funding existing general practices to expand their current services, including for more after-hours services.”
Independent Kooyong MP Monique Ryan has called on Labor to release modelling demonstrating the benefit of the clinics.
“Healthcare is too important to be used for pork-barrelling,” she said.
“We shouldn’t cannibalise existing GP clinics to staff urgent care clinics at a higher cost – especially if that has a negative effect on continuity and quality of care.”
Mr Butler said an evaluation of how the clinics had impacted hospital emergency room wait times was due to be handed to government in 2026, but insisted the positive effect was already being felt.
“There is no doubt this program is working,” he said.
“It’s having a material impact on our hospital system.”
Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston said it had “never been harder or more expensive” to see a doctor than “right now” under Labor, and it was up to the government to explain how they chose areas to host clinics.
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