Why the Australian Society of General Practice sees an opportunity to influence the next Victorian state election.
Melbourne GP Dr Chris Irwin is calling on his Victorian colleagues to get involved in advocacy ahead of this year’s state election, arguing that doctors have “no excuse … to sit by and do nothing” in the face of pharmacist-led prescribing and payroll tax.
A two-time RACGP presidential candidate, Dr Irwin leads the Australian Society of General Practice, a small group aiming to lobby politicians for the benefit of GPs.
While it has been some time since ASGP made any public statements, Dr Irwin said he has been working behind the scenes ahead of Victoria’s November election. Now, he has announced a fundraising event to take place in late May.
Liberal leader Jess Wilson and shadow health minister Georgie Crozier will be in attendance.
“This election is going to be extremely close,” Dr Irwin told The Medical Republic.
“A unified general practice voice can make it clear what’s in the best interests of patients and what increases the cost of living for Australians.”
Three of the big issues that he plans to lobby state politicians on include payroll tax, GP scope of practice expansion and pharmacist-led prescribing.
Under the current settings in Victoria, income from all bulk-billed GP consults is exempt for payroll tax purposes.
While this is a net positive for clinics which either universally bulk bill or bulk bill a high proportion of patients, some practices which privately bill the majority of patients now pay payroll tax.
The state Liberal party, which is currently in opposition, has already committed to scrapping payroll tax for all GP clinics.
“Our ultimate goal is to get Labor to understand the same thing … [and to] kill their GP tax,” Dr Irwin said.
“This payroll tax is going to increase the cost-of-living pressures for most patients in Victoria. Only 20% of practices in Victoria are fully bulk billing, so 80% of practices in Victoria are still either mixed or fully private billing, and these taxes will simply increase the cost for patients and will decrease access to care.”
He also believes that increasing scope of practice to allow GPs to prescribe drugs like Roaccutane is on the table.
“If we, as GPs, can find cost-neutral solutions to the state that improve health outcomes and decrease out-of-pocket costs for families, then these are the sort of no-brainer policies that any sensible political party that wanted to reach voters who are interested in … good healthcare [will adopt],” Dr Irwin said.
“These are ideas that can shape really tight elections, like what we’re potentially up for in Victoria.”
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Cash raised from the upcoming fundraiser will go toward political lobbying.
“Doctors, and GPs especially, have been shrinking violets for forever, in terms of not willing to stand up above the parapet,” Dr Irwin said.
“I’d say to all doctors that you have no excuse anymore. If you sit by and do nothing while government continues to erode our profession and you had the chance to stand up for your patients and you chose to be silent, then ultimately, the future is because of you.
“We have a really tight election and a fundamental chance to change things for the better for our patients, and every single GP and general practice owner in Victoria needs to be behind this and give us a united voice.”
