Sponsor speech Supports
Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee supports the Doctors for the Bush Bill 2024, arguing it would restore priority for country areas and help fix the rural doctor shortage.
Read in Hansard ↗Doctors for the Bush
Current status
This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Policy area
Government & democracy
What does this bill do?
Rural and remote Australia would again get first access to overseas-trained doctors by stopping more urban areas from being given priority under the GPA general practitioner, meaning a family doctor; the bill is about keeping GP services available in country towns. shortage rules.
Why was it introduced?
A crisis in rural and remote doctor shortages, with bush doctors leaving and not being replaced, left too many overseas-trained doctors able to go to city and large regional priority areas instead. The bill requires MM1 and MM2 areas to lose Distribution Priority AreaA government classification that tells overseas-trained doctors where they are meant to work first for Medicare billing access on this page. status so overseas-trained doctors are prioritised for rural and remote Australia again.
Broader context
Before July 2022, overseas-trained doctors who wanted to bill MedicareThe federal health scheme that overseas-trained doctors need access to if they are to bill for services under the system described here. were effectively channelled into rural Distribution Priority Areas, which country communities relied on to keep GPA general practitioner, meaning a family doctor; the bill is about keeping GP services available in country towns. services running. After outer metropolitan and other MM1 and MM2 areas were allowed into the same priority system in July 2022, bush towns were described as losing doctors and access, so the Doctors for the Bush Bill 2024 sought to restore rural and remote priority by excluding MM1 and MM2, but it lapsed at the 2025 dissolution.
Key criticism
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, and the available debate focused on helping rural and remote areas regain priority access to overseas-trained doctors. The speeches provided were supportive, and no party represented in the debate was shown raising a distinct objection or implementation warning.
Who supported it?
Andrew Gee MPMember of Parliament, the title used for Andrew Gee in the bill material. introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from Katter's Australian Party, some crossbench members.
Introduced in House 25 Nov 2024
Failed in House 28 Mar 2025
Did not reach Senate —
Did not become law —
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
No final passage
The bill has not completed passage and is no longer proceeding.
Time before failure
123 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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Rural and remote Australia would again get first access to overseas-trained doctors by stopping more urban areas from being given priority under the GPA general practitioner, meaning a family doctor; the bill is about keeping GP services available in country towns. shortage rules.
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Major cities and large regional centres would no longer qualify as priority areas for overseas-trained doctors, because MM1 and MM2 locations would be excluded.
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Priority-area status for overseas-trained doctors would be limited to rural and remote parts of Australia, rather than being available more broadly.
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The change would start 3 months after royal assentThe formal approval that turns a passed bill into law; here, the new rules would start three months after that point., so the new priority rules would not apply immediately.
Show source excerpts
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The rural and remote doctor shortage has become a crisis. All over country Australia, doctors are leaving the bush, and they are not being replaced. The Doctors for the Bush Bill 2024 (the Bill) addresses this issue by once again giving rural and remote areas priority for overseas trained doctors (International Medical Graduates) by prohibiting certain areas being classified as Distribution Priority Areas.
Doctors for the Bush explanatory memorandum -
All parts of Australia are classified according to what is called the Modified Monash Model. There are seven categories, ranging from MM1, which is a major city, to MM7, which is very remote.
Second reading speech -
The effect of this Bill is that Distribution Priority Areas for International Medical Graduates will be rural and remote parts of Australia.
Doctors for the Bush explanatory memorandum -
This clause provides for the commencement of the Bill to be the day after the end of the period of 3 months beginning on the day this Act receives Royal Assent.
Doctors for the Bush explanatory memorandum
Context
Broader context for this bill
Before July 2022, overseas-trained doctors who wanted to bill MedicareThe federal health scheme that overseas-trained doctors need access to if they are to bill for services under the system described here. were effectively channelled into rural Distribution Priority Areas, which country communities relied on to keep GPA general practitioner, meaning a family doctor; the bill is about keeping GP services available in country towns. services running. After outer metropolitan and other MM1 and MM2 areas were allowed into the same priority system in July 2022, bush towns were described as losing doctors and access, so the Doctors for the Bush Bill 2024 sought to restore rural and remote priority by excluding MM1 and MM2, but it lapsed at the 2025 dissolution.
- Before July 2022
Rural areas had first claim on overseas-trained doctors
Before July 2022, overseas-trained doctors seeking MedicareThe federal health scheme that overseas-trained doctors need access to if they are to bill for services under the system described here. billing access had to work in country Distribution Priority Areas for up to 10 years, which the bill's sponsor said was a lifeline for rural communities.
Second reading speech ↗ - July 2022
Outer metropolitan areas were allowed into the priority doctor system
The second reading speechThe speech used to explain why the bill was introduced and what problem it is meant to fix. says the Distribution Priority AreaA government classification that tells overseas-trained doctors where they are meant to work first for Medicare billing access on this page. system was changed in July 2022 so outer metropolitan areas could qualify, ending the earlier rural-only priority.
Second reading speech ↗ - 25 Nov 2024
Rural doctor shortage was described as a crisis in bush communities
In introducing the bill, Andrew Gee said towns such as Gulgong, Mudgee, Canowindra, Molong and Wellington had lost doctors, closed books to new patients or faced long waits for appointments.
Second reading speech ↗ - 25 Nov 2024
Doctors for the Bush Bill was introduced to exclude MM1 and MM2 areas
The bill was introduced to stop MM1 and MM2 locations from being classified as Distribution Priority Areas so overseas-trained doctors would again be prioritised for rural and remote Australia.
Doctors for the Bush explanatory memorandum ↗ - 28 Mar 2025
The bill lapses at dissolution
The bill did not pass and lapsed when Parliament was dissolved, so the proposed restoration of rural-only priority did not take effect.
Parliamentary timeline ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 25 Nov 2024
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 25 Nov 2024
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Lapsed at dissolution 28 Mar 2025
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, and the available debate focused on helping rural and remote areas regain priority access to overseas-trained doctors. The speeches provided were supportive, and no party represented in the debate was shown raising a distinct objection or implementation warning.
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far.
Votes
Recorded votes
No recorded votes were found before this bill stopped proceeding.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Lead non-major voice Supports
Bob Katter
Katter supports the bill and seconded the motion, saying he was pleased to back it because country areas like Julia Creek have long struggled to keep doctors.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Minor parties and independents
2 speakers · 2 support
Minor parties and independents
2 speakers · 2 support
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Andrew Gee ★ Andrew Gee supports the Doctors for the Bush Bill 2024, arguing it would restore priority for country areas and help fix the rural doctor shortage.
“I urge all members of this House to support the Doctors for the Bush Bill 2024 and achieve better health outcomes for country people.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Bob Katter ★ Katter supports the bill and seconded the motion, saying he was pleased to back it because country areas like Julia Creek have long struggled to keep doctors.
“I take great pleasure in seconding the motion. It is a great honour to be able to second this resolution. I do not hope to do justice to it as much as did the previous speaker. It was one of the better addresses that I've heard in this parliament.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Status
- Not Proceeding -- Collected from the APH bill page.
- Originating house
- House of Representatives
- 25 Nov 2024
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 25 Nov 2024
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 28 Mar 2025
House · Lapsed at dissolution
Lapsed at dissolution
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.