To: Isaac Regional Council, Northern Queensland PHN, Queensland Health, and MP Michelle Landry

 

We, the residents of Moranbah, are deeply concerned about the current lack of accessible healthcare in our community.

 

Since the closure of one of our two GP clinics, Moranbah has been left with a single medical centre trying to meet the needs of a growing population. The result? Long wait times, overwhelmed staff, and limited options for urgent care. This is no longer just a rural inconvenience, it’s becoming a health risk.

 

We are not demanding bulk billing or free services. We are asking for basic, timely access to medical professionals, the kind of access every Australian deserves.

 

We call for immediate action to:

 

1. Recruit Additional GPs

Introduce targeted, practical incentives to attract healthcare workers to Moranbah. This includes housing support, stable income guarantees, and council-backed benefits tailored to the needs of a mining town. These measures will help ease the load on our only clinic and improve access for the entire community

 

2. Establish a Nurse Practitioner-Led Walk-In Clinic

Introduce a nurse-led clinic to handle minor illnesses, prescriptions, and non-urgent care without long wait times.

 

 

3. Expand After-Hours Medical Access

Create reliable options for care outside business hours, such as a HAPC model or a UCC.

 

 

4. Develop a Rotating Locum GP Program

Ensure there’s always backup support, especially during peak times or when regular GPs are unavailable.

 

 

 

We love our town. But right now, our healthcare system isn’t keeping up. Our residents, our workers, our children. We all deserve better.

 

Please take immediate steps to expand and support healthcare access in Moranbah.

 

Sincerely,

The undersigned residents of Moranbah and supporters