The fuel crisis due to the war in the Middle East is placing additional pressure on rural healthcare delivery, National Rural Health Alliance Chief Executive Susi Tegen told ABC News yesterday.
Services that enable communities to access health care are now having to cap the level of services they can provide. Health organisations are concerned that soaring fuel prices could delay medical care, ABC reported.
“People are having to make tough decisions,” Ms Tegen said. Given the rising costs, people are being forced to choose between accessing healthcare and buying groceries, she said.
Some rural healthcare providers who deliver care directly to communities are now reducing travel due to rising costs.
Ms Tegen added that there is an urgent need for a preventative approach to healthcare delivery in rural areas, given the prevalence of chronic illnesses.
“We need to make sure that rural Australians receive the same level of funding for healthcare that people in the city receive,” she said.
Listen to the ABC News report here
Ms Tegen also spoke to Sky News about the pressures rural populations are facing due to fuel, fertiliser, and rainfall uncertainties.
“Rural communities are managing higher transport and input costs while also facing a potentially drier seasonal outlook in parts of Australia,” she said.
Speaking about migration and workforce challenges, Ms Tegen highlighted that many sectors, including health, rely on the lawful migrant workforce. She questioned whether broader migration settings are disrupting workforce pipelines into nursing, aged care, disability support, and community services.
Australia had an estimated 77,700 unlawful non-citizens as of 30 June 2025. However, this is distinct from the lawful temporary migrant workforce and its contributions, she noted.
“Rural and remote Australians already experience poorer access to primary healthcare and worse health outcomes than people in major cities, meaning any workforce tightening is felt more acutely outside metropolitan areas,” she said.
More than 40% of registered nurses, and aged and disability carers were born overseas (2021 Census), underlining the sector’s reliance on migrant labour, she added.