When you need healthcare, your biggest concern should be getting well, not whether you can get in to see a doctor – or how far you'll have to travel for an appointment.

Across Mallee, too many families wait weeks for a GP appointment, drive hundreds of kilometres at great cost to see a specialist or face uncertainty about local services. Your health should not depend on your postcode.

As Shadow Minister for Regional Health, Anne has constantly advocated for better regional healthcare. Through hospital and aged care visits, workforce roundtables and meetings with patients, doctors, nurses, providers and peak bodies, Anne has taken the experiences of regional Australians directly to Parliament. Her focus is on practical solutions, growing the regional health workforce, strengthening rural health training, improving specialist access and slashing waiting lists.

Better healthcare gives families confidence to settle in regional towns, helps businesses attract workers and allows older Australians to remain close to the communities they've helped build. Regional Australians don’t want sympathy, they want action to improve and preserve their health.