Community Independent candidate for Gilmore, Kate Dezarnaulds, is demanding better health care for the electorate, claiming people are waiting too long, paying too much or going without care.

Dezarnaulds is adamant the communities within the vast geographical area which covers the South Coast from Kiama to Moruya are tired of political quick fixes while the real cracks in our health system keep widening.

“The major parties are busy fighting over headlines and handouts, while our health system is being held together by burnt-out workers, unpaid overtime and short-term grants,” she said.

The age-old problem of people in regional areas getting the rough end of the pineapple, compared to their city counterparts, is rearing its ugly head again.

"Despite having the same Medicare card, people in Gilmore receive far less federal investment in their health than those in the city," she added.

"Regional Australians get $848 less per person each year on average. That’s an $80 million shortfall for Gilmore alone."

The flow-on effect spreads to added financial burdens in a range of areas, she argued.

“When people can’t access care locally, they’re forced to travel long distances, take time off work, and cover extra costs for fuel, accommodation, and childcare - carrying the emotional and financial burden themselves,” she said.

“For regular check-ups, it’s the hassle and cost of travelling. But when it’s time to give birth, the choice is even harder: either relocate the whole family into temporary accommodation, or face the lonely experience of being separated during one of life’s most joyful and stressful moments.

“People in regional areas often pay the same premiums as those in the city, but get far less back because there simply aren’t enough local specialists or services to claim against.

“Research shows regional Australians face higher out-of-pocket costs, even when they’re insured. So, while city residents are using their cover for things like massages and wellness perks, people here can’t access basics like maternity care, elective surgery or radiotherapy.”

Dezarnaulds warned voters not to be fooled by the two major parties announcing new clinics and services.

“If there’s no one to staff them, it’s just headlines,” she said.

“We’re seeing this across the board. From GPs and aged care to psychologists and paediatricians. Teenagers are waiting months for assessments and diagnosis that are essential to their mental health support, and families are desperate for solutions.”

Her health care priorities for Gilmore are to make Medicare work better for rural and regional communities by funding time with your GP, whole-person care, and early intervention, while reforming the funding model to reward health outcomes with a focus on primary preventative care.

She is backing community-led solutions and wrap around family services, especially those that address the social and economic drivers of poor health, wants to fix the workforce crisis with a local strategy to train, attract and retain health professionals, expand specialist access and create sustainable business models that acknowledge the fundamental role that allied health and pharmacists as small businesses play in keeping us well.

Dezarnaulds said she had the genuine courage needed to tackle the impact and causes of diseases of despair by supporting services that address trauma, addiction, poverty and social isolation.

“Aboriginal health organisations like Waminda, or local wrap-around services like The Family Place in Moruya, show what works: care that treats the whole person, not just the symptoms,” she said.

“We should be backing these models, not treating them as fringe. True equity of access means every community, in every postcode, gets the support they need.

“Health isn’t a luxury, it’s a right. It’s time to fund what works, and that means backing our people.”