Improving health services in the Outback

Member for Barwon Roy Butler (on left )and Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr (on right) at Bourke and District Childrens’s Services with BDCS staff members Amanda Bell, Priscila Luschwitz and Margaret Stewart. PHOTO IAN COLE TWH

Last week the Member for Barwon Roy Butler hosted another independent state MP on a 9-community tour of the Barwon electorate to look at how to improve health services in rural and remote areas.

After working in rural medicine for 30 years, Dr Joe McGirr, the member for Wagga Wagga has a passion for health and medical services in the bush an is now pushing for a GP in every town and a return of birthing services to the bush.

Dr McGirr chaired the inquiry into Remote and Rural Health from 2023 to 2025 and now has the difficult job of seeing the recommendations of that inquiry implemented in rural NSW using his six-point plan.

To give Dr McGirr a good look at remote health services, Mr Butler met him at Dubbo Airport and drove to Coonabarabran and then into Narrabri and Wee Waa, across to Burren Junction, then on to Walgett, Brewarrina, Bourke, Cobar, Wilcannia and Broken Hill.

Mr Butler said that he and Dr McGirr met with people involved in health services in the bush – councils, healthcare workers and community members. […]

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