practical health reform
Australia’s healthcare system needs repair, not reinvention. The Australian Centre Party supports practical reforms that improve access, reduce pressure on hospitals, and ensure public funding delivers better outcomes — not more bureaucracy. We back smarter Medicare investment, stronger primary care, better mental health access, and regional health equity. Our approach is grounded in what works, not in ideology — and focused on delivering timely, affordable care for all Australians.
Better access, smarter funding, and outcomes that matter
Australia’s healthcare system remains a pillar of national life, but it is under growing stress. Wait times are increasing, GP shortages are worsening, and regional communities are too often left behind. While Medicare provides a strong foundation, it has not kept up with the way modern healthcare is delivered. The Australian Centre Party believes it’s time for focused, practical reform — not slogans or sweeping overhauls.
We support a renewed investment in primary care and general practice, recognising that early intervention and continuity of care are key to both health outcomes and cost control. This includes lifting Medicare rebates for longer consults, incentivising GPs in regional and outer-suburban areas, and expanding nurse practitioner and allied health roles under Medicare where appropriate.
Mental health must be treated with the same urgency and seriousness as physical health. We back increased access to subsidised psychological support — particularly for young people and rural communities — and greater integration of mental health services into the primary care system.
We also support regional health equity. Australians should not receive lower-quality care because of their postcode. We propose a Regional Health Access Guarantee — backed by data tracking and independent reporting — to ensure fair access to essential services, supported by mobile clinics, telehealth, and targeted funding for rural hospitals.
Smarter investment means tackling inefficiencies. We support a national hospital funding reform agreement that rewards outcomes over activity, reduces duplication between federal and state systems, and removes the political blame-shifting that delays real progress. Health funding should follow patients, not bureaucracies.
In aged care, we support practical workforce solutions — including incentives for staff retention, training pathways, and minimum standards of care linked to enforceable performance reporting. We reject under-regulated profit-taking in aged care and favour transparency over blanket ideology.
Our approach to health is guided by evidence, efficiency, and fairness. We reject ideological attacks on private health providers, but we also reject unchecked profiteering from essential services. Public and private healthcare can and must coexist — provided both are held to clear standards and serve the public interest.
Where the Left often calls for more spending without accountability, and the Right talks efficiency while cutting frontline access, we offer a balanced alternative: invest where it works, cut where it doesn’t, and always measure results.
Healthcare reform doesn’t need to be radical — it needs to be rational. The Australian Centre Party stands for a system that works for the people who rely on it most.