‍Thursday 18 December 2025

Watch Dr Webster's video celebrating the announcement here.

 Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster has hailed Monash University allocating 10 medical doctor training places to Mildura as one of the regional capital’s greatest moments in its history.

“As a Mildura resident for almost 5 decades, I am bursting with joy and pride today that my long campaign has reached this significant milestone moment.  Sunraysia will now have end-to-end training, that is, 100 per cent local leaning from start to finish, in General Practice Medicine in Mildura,” Dr Webster said in Mildura today.

Late last month federal Health Minister Mark Butler and federal Education Minister Jason Clare announced Monash had secured 10 Commonwealth supported places (CSPs) per annum for students studying medicine. 

Monash has today confirmed it has accepted the Commonwealth’s offer and will place the CSPs in Mildura. Students will complete their first year at Monash Rural Health Mildura in a blended learning experience combining face-to-face and online sessions. The second to fourth year will involve clinical training in hospitals, GP clinics and other healthcare services across Mildura and surrounding areas.

“Today’s announcement is a beam of light for Sunraysia. Hopefully today turns the tide from losing services to centralisation out of the region into Bendigo, Ballarat and Melbourne, to instead growing Mildura as the tri-state regional capital for 120,000 people that it truly is,” Dr Webster said.

“I cannot tell you how many times I have lobbied, pushed and worked hard as the Member for Mallee and, until May, as the former Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health, to make end to end general practice medical training in Mildura a reality.”

“The next important step is for Sunraysia health graduates to apply through medicineadmissions@monash.edu before 9 January to be considered for one of the 10 places.”

As former Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health, in mid-April 2025 Dr Webster committed $8.7 million to develop medical training facilities in Mildura to support CSPs in the region.  The aspiration remains, even though The Nationals are not in Government this term.

“Monash’s decision to base these 10 CSPs, in perpetuity, in Mildura is huge for the region.  As the now Shadow Minister for Regional Development, among other roles, I know from experience and consultation with senior Australian regional representatives how critical local health services – especially primary health - are to attract and retain staff,” Dr Webster said.

“Businesses can invest in Sunraysia and Mallee with confidence knowing their workforce can be healthy. Strong primary health medical services also underpin a professional local workforce, be they those that live here – or migrants to the area - who themselves, or their partners or school leavers, might find rewarding professional work in medical practice in Sunraysia.

“As former Shadow Assistant Minister I called a national Regional Health Workforce Summit in Mildura in early 2023 because our health workforce needs were diabolically bad – and getting worse.  We desperately need doctors and the best way to have doctors in your region is, long-term, to train your own in the region.

“The Nationals’ strategy on addressing regional Australia’s health workforce crisis is based on this very approach – growing your own, or ‘closing the pipeline’ – ensuring young people can learn, train and earn locally and succeed to train as a GP here in Mildura.”

“Doctors and those that support them are vital in primary and preventative care.  There’s been some consternation about urgent care in our hospitals, and the best way to stay out of hospital is to avoid getting sick – doctors are at the front line, at the top of the cliff, if you will. 

“Investing in primary, preventative care will help arrest the terrible mortality and morbidity rates we suffer in Sunraysia and elsewhere in regional Australia.”

Respondents to Dr Webster’s Mallee’s Biggest Survey in mid-2025 nominated better hospitals and healthcare outcomes as their number 1 priority for Mallee. 

Over 5,300 constituents who responded to the Survey indicated that within primary healthcare their main concern was waiting times to see a doctor, then the out-of-pocket costs – contrary to the Albanese Government’s claims a Medicare card is all you need to see a doctor.

Dr Webster also hailed Federation University’s 8 December commitment to train more doctors in the regions potentially starting in 2027, with their Horsham campus one to hopefully benefit from the initiative.

“What’s good for Mildura and Horsham is good for all of Mallee.  The further west we bring training of doctors and nurses, the healthier we all will be,” Dr Webster said.