CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Ms CHESTERS (Bendigo) (16:15): There are now thirty-seven 100 per cent bulk-billing clinics in the electorate of Bendigo. It is a huge achievement and something that I'm very proud that our government has delivered. To put that into context, prior to the 2022 election and Labor forming government, there was just one in the entire electorate of Bendigo that was still bulk-billing.
As I stand here today, there are now 37, with the majority of people in the Bendigo electorate being able to access bulk-billing. One of the clinics that I recently visited is the Bendigo Doctors medical centre. It is conveniently located at the Bendigo Marketplace, which is our main shopping centre in Bendigo and in the region.
It too is a 100 per cent bulk-billing medical practice. It's unique for two reasons. First, it is open seven days a week.
We are seeing our bulk-billing incentives encouraging doctors. The numbers stack up for them to open on Saturdays and Sundays, taking the pressure off our ED department and our urgent care centre. What also makes this clinic unique is, four years ago, it did not exist.
Four years ago, before Labor was elected and formed government and changed the rules and invested in Medicare, this clinic, which is delivering bulk-billing services seven days a week, did not exist. A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 16:16 to 16:29 Ms CHESTERS: On 27 April I was proud to stand alongside the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence Industry, the honourable Pat Conroy, to announce that the Albanese Labor government will be investing a further $750 million into building more Bushmasters in Bendigo for the Australian Defence Force.
Built in Bendigo by Thales Australia, Bushmasters are an iconic Australian vehicle that deliver world-leading protection for the Australian Defence Force. We've all heard the stories from returned soldiers and Australian veterans that speak volumes to the importance of this vehicle, its unique design and how it saves lives. But this contract is more than just building vehicles that the Australian Army need; this contract also secures the workforce at the site for at least the next seven years, as well as the jobs that are in the supply chain.
The contract to build 268 new Bushmasters at the Bendigo facility will allow the site the opportunity for the first time in decades to invest in the next generation. There are already plans to recruit and train the next generation of apprenticeships at this site. This is what Labor governments do.
We invest in jobs, we invest in people and we invest in defence manufacturing, not just in Bendigo but throughout Australia.