OAKESHOTT INDEPENDENT

LAKE CATHIE-BONNY HILLS WIN ON MEDICAL CENTRE AND GP

Thanks to an excellent campaign by the Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills communities, a full-scale medical centre looks likely within the region, along with a locally based GP working full-time at the centre, Independent MP for Port Macquarie, Robert Oakeshott said today.

"This is a significant result and demonstrates the power of community and Government working together, said Mr Oakeshott.

"The Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills communities delivered a petition with over 2,500 signatures on the lap of Government. This is an excellent effort and takes a lot of co-ordination by the two Progress Associations involved, Mr Oakeshott said.

"The Division of GP's played an important role in co-ordinating the conversations with Government, and liasing between all the relevant parties in achieving this outcome, Mr Oakeshott said.

"And the three tiers of Government have played, and will continue to play, an important role in delivering continued GP services to the community, said Mr Oakeshott.

"I particularly acknowledge the Federal Government efforts in bending their own rules to accommodate a GP in the Lake Cathie-Bonny Hills region, Mr Oakeshott said.

"This is an excellent result for the region. Having been at the launch of the community petition only three months ago, I am very impressed how quickly the wheels have moved on this issue, and I will now be meeting with Dr Nelapati later this week to discuss his final plans for the delivery of service to the region, including his plans for his full-scale medical centre, Mr Oakeshott said.

7 August 2007