That is the message council is sending to Sydney on the release of the Local Government NSW health action plan, aimed at addressing the escalating healthcare crisis affecting rural, regional and remote communities across our state.
Council believes that the collective voices of NSW councils will strengthen the fight for health equity and ensure that regional communities are no longer left behind.
Council maintains that health equity is a right, not a privilege and that the current inequity extends far beyond a simple city-country divide.
There is significant variation in access to even the most basic health services across rural and regional NSW, and Mayor Julia Cornwell McKean said Berrigan Shire is among the communities acutely affected.
While Berrigan Shire Council supports LGNSW’s plan in principle, council believes the shire community faces specific and urgent needs that require targeted action.
A message delivered by Cr Cornwell McKean in a parliamentary inquiry in March still ring true, and will support lobbying efforts.
“Healthcare in Berrigan Shire is in crisis,” she said.
“We are being left behind, forgotten and frankly left for dead.
“We are not asking for miracles. We are merely asking for equity.
“We do not consider that these problems are insurmountable.”
Council is calling for full adherence to the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights and, where relevant, the Charter on the Rights of Children and Young People in Healthcare Services.
These charters outline the minimum standards of care, that all Australian’s should expect, regardless of postcode.
With the NSW budget approaching, Berrigan Shire is also calling on the Minns Labor Government to commit to the following essential investments:
• Ambulance station in Tocumwal — to improve emergency response times and reduce reliance on neighbouring towns
• CT scanners for Tocumwal and Finley MPS — and inclusion of both hospitals in the NSW Telestroke service
• Dialysis chairs or a mobile dialysis unit — including training for self administration to reduce staff workload
• Negotiation with the Victorian Government for a closer cardiac testing lab — to reduce critical delays for cardiac patients
• Capability uplift of the MPS facilities in Berrigan, Tocumwal and Finley — enabling them to deliver more services with support from major hospitals and telehealth
“These priorities will form the foundation of Berrigan Shire Council’s advocacy to the Minns Government and all political parties,” council said.
“Council will seek formal endorsement of these commitments as part of its state election briefs, ahead of the 2027 NSW Election.”
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