Dubbo medical school construction underway

To get more doctors in the bush, we need to train more doctors in the bush, so last week I was thrilled to have the opportunity to visit the construction site of the new medical school being built in Dubbo.

Construction began recently, with work on the world-class facility expected to be completed in October.

This means the University of Sydney is on track to begin taking the first cohort of medical students in February next year, which is very exciting.

The new medical program in Dubbo is part of the Murray-Darling Medical Schools Network (MDMSN), along with the brand new, state-of-the-art facility at Orange which I also visited last week, meeting with the first cohort of students who began their studies a few weeks ago.

The MDMSN will increase the capacity for medical students to undertake and complete their studies in regional centres, which is important because we know if we can get more people to study in regional Australia, they are more likely to want to live, work and raise a family in regional Australia.

Together with the other elements of the Federal Government’s comprehensive plan for stronger rural health, this will improve access to doctors and health outcomes for rural people.

Inland Rail jobs available in the North West

As construction of the Narrabri to North Star section of the Inland Rail ramps up over the coming months, more job opportunities are opening up for locals throughout the North West.

There are currently more than 10 positions advertised by the Australian Rail Track Corporation for the Narrabri to North Star section, with jobs ranging from engineers and machinery operators to safety and environment positions.

More than 500 people are expected to directly work on the construction of Inland Rail from Narromine to North Star – many of these roles will be filled by locals who have the opportunity to deliver a major piece of infrastructure that will provide long-term benefits for our region.

I encourage local job seekers and businesses to take advantage of these opportunities and get involved in this once-in-a-generation project.

For further information about the positions, go to the Inland Rail website on inlandrail.com.au/opportunities/jobs/.

Those interested in working on the project for Trans4m Rail should apply through the employment section on the website (www.trans4mrail.com.au).

New apprentice and trainee jobs for locals

The Federal Government is continuing to support Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19 by extending the successful Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy.

This program has already supported 100,000 new apprenticeships in the past five months.

In the Parkes electorate alone there have been 625 apprentices signed up to the subsidy and supporting our local businesses.

By expanding this wage subsidy for another 12 months, we’ll be helping local businesses to create even more jobs, further supporting our National Economic Recovery Plan for Australia.

Eligible businesses will be reimbursed up to 50 per cent of an apprentice or trainee’s wage worth up to $7,000 per quarter.

This measure brings the Government’s total investment in new apprentices and trainees to $2.4 billion, recognising the importance of the role that apprentices and trainees play in supporting the Australian economy.

More information on the measure is available at: https://www.employment.gov.au/boosting-apprenticeship-commencements