HON ANDREW HASTIE MP
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR CANNING
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL

MEDIA RELEASE 

WA LIBERALS TO BOOST GP NUMBERS AND UPSKILL MORE DOCTORS

13 February 2025

Federal Member for Canning Andrew Hastie MP has welcomed the WA Liberals’ $140 million plan to address the critical shortage of general practitioners and paediatricians across Western Australia.

The plan includes key initiatives such as a $40,000 GP training incentive, a $1 million Community Residency Program, and a $60 million fund for free post-discharge GP visits.

Mr Hastie said the WA Liberals’ commitment to increasing the number of GPs is a crucial step towards improving healthcare access in the Peel Region and beyond.

“Access to a GP is one of the biggest concerns I hear from locals. Families are struggling to find a doctor when they need one, and long wait times are forcing more people into overcrowded hospital emergency departments. This isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a crisis,” Mr Hastie said.

“We need real solutions, and that’s what this plan delivers.

“I’ve raised these concerns with WA Liberal Leader Libby Mettam many times, and I’m pleased to see a strong, practical plan that will boost GP numbers, support junior doctors, and ease the heavy burden on our hospitals.”

The WA Liberals’ policy will support up to 150 Resident Medical Officers to train as GPs, establish a $10 million fund to help junior doctors train in critical fields such as paediatrics, and a $5 million investment to upskill GPs in ADHD prescribing. 

Mr Hastie also welcomed the $60 million commitment to cover GP gap fees for patients requiring follow-up visits after being discharged from hospital.

“Labor has failed to take responsibility for our state’s GP shortage, and the WA Liberals are stepping up where Labor has failed,” Mr Hastie said.

“I’ll keep fighting for better healthcare and stand with my WA Liberal colleagues to make sure families in my region can see a doctor when they need one. No more excuses—our community deserves action.”

For more information on the WA Liberals’ announcement can be found here: https://www.libbymettam.com.au/news-media-releases/wa-liberals-140-million-package-will-boost-gp-numbers-support-gp-practices-and-fund-free-gp-visits

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