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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 7 Hansard (6 June) . . Page.. 2160 ..

(1) What proportion of outpatients at Canberra Hospital have presented due to lack of access to a private GP.

Please see answer to question (6) above.

(2) What strategies has the ACT Government implemented to increase the number of GPs in the ACT.

As noted above, the Commonwealth Government is responsible for the provision of GP services. The Commonwealth's general policy is that GPs are free to choose where they practice, although the Commonwealth has initiatives to attract GPs to rural areas and outer metropolitan areas of the State capital cities. The ACT has been excluded from these initiatives.

The Commonwealth will also allow overseas-trained doctors to work as GPs in areas considered districts of workforce shortage for GPs. Despite the evidence, the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing does not accept that there is a shortage of GPs in the ACT and will not agree to recruitment of overseas trained doctors to work as GPs in the ACT.

The Government is currently considering alternative approaches to respond to the GP shortage but I believe that it is time that the Commonwealth acknowledged the impact of its GP policies on the ACT and cooperated with the ACT Government to work on a solution. Improved access to GPs for low income people will be a focus of this work. I will be pressing the Commonwealth on this issue.

In relation to after hours GP services, the Department is working with the ACT Division of General Practice and the Canberra After Hours Locum Medical Service on a project to develop a proposal for improved after hours general practice services in the ACT. The outcome of the project will be a proposal to the Commonwealth for an After Hours Primary Medical Care Service Development Grant to implement the model developed through the seeding grant. If the application is successful, implementation is expected to commence in about September 2002.

The Government is committed to improving after hours GP services in the ACT, and if the application to the Commonwealth is not successful, other approaches will be developed.

(3) What strategies has the ACT Government implemented to improve access to GPs for low income people.

Please see answer to question (8) above.

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Argyle apartments

(Question No 205)

Mr Stefaniak asked the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Corrections, upon notice, on 4 June 2002:

In relation to Argyle Apartments in Reid:

(1) For the following years how many times have the AFP been called to Argyle Apartments in Reid for break and enters:

a. 2000;

b. 2001; and

c. 2002.

(2) How many people have been convicted of break and enters at Argyle Apartments in Reid for the years mentioned in (1) above.

(3) How many of those people convicted of break and enters at Argyle Apartments in Reid have been repeat offenders for the years mentioned in (1) above.

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