Independent MP for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie has asked the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, how the federal government will address the $6.55 billion gap in expenditure on healthcare in rural Australia.

She says the National Rural Health Alliance Evidence base for investment in rural health demonstrates a stark healthcare spending gap and significantly poorer health outcomes for Australians who live in regional, rural and remote areas compared with those in cities.

According to the report, Rural Australia produces at least 80 per cent of Australia's exports, 90 per cent of our food, and 50 per cent of our tourism revenue, despite housing only a third of Australia's population. 

Yet rural healthcare remains critically underfunded and rural communities experience vastly inferior health outcomes. 

Rural areas have up to 50 per cent fewer health providers such as general practitioners, physiotherapists, psychologists, dentists, pharmacists, optometrists and podiatrists than major cities (per capita). 

Remote communities bear 1.4 times the total disease burden compared to major cities yet have less spent on a per capita basis.

Ms Sharkie says the federal government spends $850 less on rural Australians than those in cities, largely due to a lack of access to affordable healthcare in regional, rural and remote areas."

"The regions suffer with less health spending per person, coupled with the tyranny of distance to access metropolitan services. 

“This means if you live in a region you are less likely to have affordable and timely access to a GP and less likely to have access to diagnostic services such as regular breast care screenings."

"I have raised these issues including a lack of bulk billing general practices and the closures of some rural general practitioners in my electorate in the Parliament and with the Minister.”

In Parliament Mr Butler responded that he is currently undertaking a review of distribution rules for health care.

"We need 'reviews' turned into action, regional Australians deserve equity in health care," Ms Sharkie says.