QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr GEE (Calare) (15:02): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. The rural doctor shortage crisis is devastating for Calare residents. Country people have shorter life expectancies than city people.

It's outrageous. The Charles Sturt University's School of Rural Medicine opened five years ago to train doctors in the bush for practice in the bush with 37 Commonwealth supported students. It hasn't been given any more student places since.

When will your government take effective action to (a) fix the rural doctor shortage crisis, and (b) give Charles Sturt University more Commonwealth supported medical student places?