Published on:
Monday, 23 February, 2026_jpg_1280_300.webp)
Some of the nation’s smallest and most remote regional councils are spending millions of dollars securing doctors for their communities. Councils say they have been forced to fill a void left by federal and state governments that have abrogated their responsibilities.
The long-running struggle to secure adequate health services in the regions has also been blamed for contributing to shorter life expectancy and for contributing to the “hollowing out” of small towns as people relocate to major areas with better resources.
The issue is particularly acute in Western Australia, where the significant size and low population density of the state exacerbates the challenge. In the past few years, the neighbouring shires of Lake Grace, Gnowangerup, Jerramungup, Kojonup, Narembeen and Ravensthorpe have pooled their efforts in an attempt to encourage federal and state governments into action.
A recent survey by WALGA, showed that 41 shires across the state had together spent $9.5m to support GP services. The bulk of that was spent on financially underwriting GPs.
Karen Chappel is a long-¬serving councillor with the Shire of Morawa in WA’s Midwest. She is also president of WALGA and a vice president of the Australian Local Government Association.
Local governments stepping into the breach on frontline health services has long been an issue right around the country, she says, but has grown worse in recent years.
The number of doctors in Australia, she says, is not keeping up with demand and those GPs are entitled to ensure they are properly remunerated for their skills.
She says the budgets of many small shires were being strained to fill a role that should not be theirs.
“From a local government perspective, it shouldn’t be our responsibility. That’s the bottom line,” she says. “We’re reluctantly stepping into this to fill the gap and provide these services.”
Councils are able to recoup some of their health spending through financial assistance grants, but according to WALGA those grants have only covered 18 per cent of the local government spend on health.
Financial assistance grants provided to those shires only covered $1.7m, or 18 per cent, of that spend.
“We go back to that principle that it doesn’t matter where you live, you should have equal access to health care. I don’t think that that is accepted necessarily at the highest level of government,” Ms Chappell says.
Read the story from the Australian, Sunday 22 February.
The long-running struggle to secure adequate health services in the regions has also been blamed for contributing to shorter life expectancy and for contributing to the “hollowing out” of small towns as people relocate to major areas with better resources.
The issue is particularly acute in Western Australia, where the significant size and low population density of the state exacerbates the challenge. In the past few years, the neighbouring shires of Lake Grace, Gnowangerup, Jerramungup, Kojonup, Narembeen and Ravensthorpe have pooled their efforts in an attempt to encourage federal and state governments into action.
A recent survey by WALGA, showed that 41 shires across the state had together spent $9.5m to support GP services. The bulk of that was spent on financially underwriting GPs.
Karen Chappel is a long-¬serving councillor with the Shire of Morawa in WA’s Midwest. She is also president of WALGA and a vice president of the Australian Local Government Association.
Local governments stepping into the breach on frontline health services has long been an issue right around the country, she says, but has grown worse in recent years.
The number of doctors in Australia, she says, is not keeping up with demand and those GPs are entitled to ensure they are properly remunerated for their skills.
She says the budgets of many small shires were being strained to fill a role that should not be theirs.
“From a local government perspective, it shouldn’t be our responsibility. That’s the bottom line,” she says. “We’re reluctantly stepping into this to fill the gap and provide these services.”
Councils are able to recoup some of their health spending through financial assistance grants, but according to WALGA those grants have only covered 18 per cent of the local government spend on health.
Financial assistance grants provided to those shires only covered $1.7m, or 18 per cent, of that spend.
“We go back to that principle that it doesn’t matter where you live, you should have equal access to health care. I don’t think that that is accepted necessarily at the highest level of government,” Ms Chappell says.
Read the story from the Australian, Sunday 22 February.
