![Candidates for the seat of Port Macquarie: (top L-R) Peta Pinson (NAT), Leslie Williams (LIB), Keith McMullen (Labor), (bottom L-R), Stuart Watson (The Greens) and Silvia Mogorovich (Informed Medical Options Party IMOP) Candidates for the seat of Port Macquarie: (top L-R) Peta Pinson (NAT), Leslie Williams (LIB), Keith McMullen (Labor), (bottom L-R), Stuart Watson (The Greens) and Silvia Mogorovich (Informed Medical Options Party IMOP)](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/173301740/68daaf8f-3ecd-477c-8120-7b96cf2de849.png/r0_7_1069_677_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ahead of the NSW State Election on March 25, Port News readers have told us what issues matter most to them.
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We have reached out to the candidates for the seat of Port Macquarie to get their response to the top three issues on the minds of voters and how they will tackle these issues if they are elected.
The number one issue for the Port Macquarie electorate is hospital beds and wait times, followed by shortage of GPs and nurses and climate change.
Each candidate was given 100 words to tell voters their stance on the issue and how they would address it.
Below, in ballot paper order, are their responses.
![The issues most important for voters in the Port Macquarie electorate. The issues most important for voters in the Port Macquarie electorate.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ruby.pascoe/df69afda-98c1-452f-99a9-750249c5fcfb.png/r0_0_2000_2000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Hospital beds and wait times
Silvia Mogorovich (Informed Medical Options Party IMOP)
If vaccine mandates were lifted, that would allow stood down health professionals to return to work in the hospitals, which would decrease the wait times.
Our party supports lifestyle choices that build and maintain a strong immune system, and promotes the benefits of healthy living, life skills, eating nutrient-dense food as well as holistic and natural treatment alternatives.
In regards to hospital beds, I would focus on helping less people to need them, so they were only needed in an emergency or extreme chronic condition.
As the member for Port Macquarie, I would work to empower people to take responsibility for their own health.
Stuart Watson (The Greens)
We believe that 12 years of LNP mismanagement of health has left us in crisis.
Our health policy is well laid out, clear, and we have already put forward legislation to increase nurse to patient ratios.
We would place legislation to end the public service pay caps to attract nurses back to profession.
Everyone in NSW should have access to quality public health services including dental care and mental health.
Leslie Williams (Liberal)
There has been ongoing investment into the Port Macquarie Base Hospital since the Liberal and Nationals Government was elected in 2011 including the $110 million expansion, hundreds of new carparking spaces and a new mental health unit.
Construction is currently underway for the new helipad which will also mean additional carparking spaces.
However, as our community continues to grow I am committed to ongoing investment in our Port Macquarie Base Hospital to meet the needs of our increasing population.
The expansion of the Emergency Department to meet the volume of presentations is my highest priority followed by a new Maternity Unit as well as a third linear accelerator, more oncology chairs and consultation rooms for the Port Macquarie Cancer Service.
Last week I also announced $500,000 to facilitate the expansion of Rotary Lodge providing more accommodation for patients and carers of people staying in hospital.
Keith McMullen (Labor)
Across NSW Labor has promised 600 new hospital beds.
There is an urgency for more nurses as currently they are chronically understaffed.
Labor will employ an additional 1200 nurses and midwives.
NSW has the nurses, but unfortunately, too many are not working in their profession.
Labor wants to address this with a commitment to working towards a ratio of 3 to 1 in emergency and 4 to 1 in the general wards - and better wages.
More beds and more staff reduces wait times, provides better nursing care - and saves lives.
Peta Pinson (The Nationals)
Our EDs are being used more frequently by people arriving with primary health care concerns and/or presenting with lower acuity. If there was better access to GPs, we would see this number drop.
We also have a large number of otherwise well people occupying hospital beds while awaiting a place in aged care or the NDIS.
To help fix this the NSW Nationals are building the regional health care workforce by 3800 new regional workers over two years and 700 more regional paramedics. More staff means more beds open and in turn, reduced wait times.
![Healthcare is the top issue for voters in Port Macquaire. Picture, NSW Health Healthcare is the top issue for voters in Port Macquaire. Picture, NSW Health](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ruby.pascoe/62c966f1-081f-45ce-91f5-6a8a2d69348c.jpg/r80_0_1200_629_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Shortage of GPs and nurses
Silvia Mogorovich (Informed Medical Options Party IMOP)
*Ms Mogorovich combined her response to the first two issues, see her response above
Stuart Watson (The Greens)
We have cooperated with the nurses and midwives association and appointed Dr Amanda Cohn GP as our spokesperson on health and Upper House candidate.
We propose to remove the barriers for students to choose a career in General practice. A minimum 15 per cent pay rise for nurses, paramedics and midwives in the public system.
Open and promote public primary care where you can see a GP and allied healthcare professional for free.
Leslie Williams (Liberal)
Despite GP's being the responsibility of the Federal Government, the NSW Liberal and Nationals have been actively looking for solutions to the GP workforce shortage in regional NSW.
The shortage of GP's is putting pressure on our emergency departments and both the NSW and Victorian Governments are working together proposing reforms that will ensure that GP's and hospitals work much closer together.
The NSW Government will also make it easier to access more medications through a local pharmacy to ease the pressure on patients who find it difficult to get an appointment with a GP.
In the nation's largest-ever health workforce boost a record 10,148 full-time equivalent staff will be recruited to hospitals and health services across NSW over the next four years.
The NSW Government is also implementing a major regional health workforce incentives scheme with new training and recruitment pathways to build a pipeline of regionally based workers.
Keith McMullen (Labor)
Australia's excellent public health system, Medicare, which was introduced by the Whitlam Federal Labor Government in 1975, has slowly been reduced from providing free/and affordable universal health care with the increased involvement of private medical providers.
This trend is making appointments more expensive, reducing patient/GP consultation time and cutting down the profitability of GPs running their practices.
Consequently, many GPs are opting to become specialists. NSW Labor will work with the current Federal Labor Government to save Medicare's public health service and regional health.
Peta Pinson (The Nationals)
To attract these staff, the NSW Nationals in Government announced a major $883 million incentives package that allows Local Health Districts to key staff higher salaries, as well as relocation and housing incentives.
In Port Macquarie 80 dental and oral health staff, enrolled nurses, registered nurses, midwives, pathology staff and an Aboriginal health worker, and a further 10 new nurses and midwives have been incentivised to start working here in previously hard-to-fill positions. These incentives will continue to roll out over the next four years.
Whilst there's no silver bullet for more GPs in the regions, and noting the Federal Government's responsibility, we're doing our part to reduce pressure:
- Expanding pharmacists' scope
- More Nurse Practitioners in our rural hospitals.
- 50 new rural generalist training scholarships
- Pay parity between Junior Doctors practicing in regional NSW so they are in line with their metropolitan cousins.
![Climate change is the third issue most important to voters in the Port Macquaire electorate. Picture, file Climate change is the third issue most important to voters in the Port Macquaire electorate. Picture, file](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ruby.pascoe/0d0de214-74df-4486-aa85-7629869a4d3f.jpg/r0_0_4032_3024_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Action on climate change
Silvia Mogorovich (Informed Medical Options Party IMOP)
Our first step is to reduce industrial pollution.
Another aspect would be to encourage the hemp farming industry, as hemp crops clean the soil and air.
I would like to encourage walking and cycling groups and events, not only for environmental reasons, but also to improve health and fitness in our community.
Stuart Watson (The Greens)
The Greens have been the leading party with real policies for action on climate change for decades.
The science is irrefutable and we need to both mitigate our emissions and adapt to the changing climate as a matter of urgency. Locally, Nationally and Globally!
The IPCC latest report backs our commitment that we need NO New Coal or Gas. Fossil fuel subsidies amount to billions each year and these should be redirected to decarbonising our country.
LNP and Labor are backing 27 new coal and gas mines where we should be pushing forward with renewable targets and green jobs for a safe future.
We have the solutions at hand and the benefits of acting urgently far outweigh the costs of delaying and denying.
Leslie Williams (Liberal)
We are taking decisive and responsible action on climate change.
NSW was one of the first Australian jurisdictions to commit to net zero emissions by 2050. We are now on track to halve emissions by 2030 compared to 2005 levels while growing the economy.
The Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020-2030 is the foundation for NSW's action to reduce emissions, reach our targets of a 50 per cent emissions reduction on 2005 levels by 2030 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The Plan outlines the NSW Government's approach to grow the economy, create jobs and reduce the cost of living through strategic emissions reduction initiatives across the economy.
Keith McMullen (Labor)
NSW Labor will do its part to tackle climate change by creating a state owned Clean Energy Agency.
Working with the Federal Government and the business community, the agency will invest in renewable energy projects and initiatives across our state and local regions.
Along with addressing this crucial issue there is the added benefit of more jobs for our region as well as the local application of cleaner energy ensuring we preserve, and enhance, our wonderful clean Mid North Coast quality of life.
Peta Pinson (The Nationals)
Whilst my person views on climate change are well known, if I am elected I will be a member of The Nationals & Liberal team.
Under our government, NSW was one of the first jurisdictions in the world to commit to net zero emissions by 2050.
We are now on track to reduce our emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and 70 per cent by 2035, while growing the economy and putting downward pressure on electricity prices.
Our Net Zero Plan will grow our economy, create jobs and reduce the cost of living through strategic emissions reduction initiatives like Zero Emission Buses, our multi-billion dollar program to transition the state's 8,000 plus diesel and natural gas public transport buses to zero emissions technology.
*Note: The three remaining candidates, Vivian McMahon (Legalise Cannabis Party), Edward Coleman (Sustainable Australia Party - Stop Overdevelopment/Corruption) and Benjamin Read (Liberal Democrats), have not provided responses and their contact details are not listed, nor have they reached out to the Port News.
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