National Rural Health Alliance Chief Executive Susi Tegen called for better funding to improve health care in rural, regional and remote Australia, at the Regions Rising National Summit hosted by the Regional Australia Institute on 13–14 September 2023.
Ms Tegen said research commissioned by the Alliance revealed there was a $6.5 billion annual spending shortfall in rural health.
‘That means that a population of seven million people is not receiving the health care they deserve,’ Ms Tegen said.
‘It's time that rural communities around Australia actually stand up and go ... “We want our money”,’ she added.
Ms Tegen, however, added that there were promising moves in the sector, like greater collaboration between state and federal governments.
The need to give back to remote Australians for their economic contribution to the nation was an underlying sentiment at the summit.
See news report here.