General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) has welcomed the Albanese Government’s announcement today of significant investment in general practice training and the broader GP system.

“For GPRA and our members, today’s announcement is historic – a real game-changer for the future GP workforce,” said GPRA President Dr Chris Dickie.

“GPRA welcomes the GP workforce investment commitments made by the Prime Minister.

“The commitment to improve pay and leave entitlements for GP trainees – a reform GPRA and our members have been actively advocating for over many years – is a fantastic step forward in attracting doctors into general practice and increasing access to care for patients.”

As the national, independent peak body representing GP registrars, GPRA has long championed national structural reform to address the inequity between GP trainees and their hospital-based counterparts. Key changes advocated by GPRA include improving base rate wages and ensuring access to parental and study/exam leave for GP registrars.

“We have been advocating for a long time, as the voice of future GPs, to remove the barriers that stop doctors from entering GP training,” said Dr Dickie.

“Addressing the drop in pay, the lack of study leave, and the absence of parental leave – as proposed through these initiatives – is exactly what our members have been calling for.

“The announcement today means that GP registrars entering training in their early years will now have access to parental leave, study leave, and a base wage incentive, ensuring parity in employment conditions with hospital-based specialty registrars.

“These measures aim to ease financial pressures and make general practice a more attractive career path across the nation – to stop the jurisdictional ‘hunger games’ for GP trainees.”

Together with additional investment in Medicare, these changes will strengthen support for the future GP workforce pipeline and enhance the viability of GP practices.

By removing barriers to entering general practice, increasing places available in GP training programs, expanding medical student positions, and improving exposure to general practice in junior doctor years, the Government is taking significant steps toward addressing the predicted shortfall of 10,000 GPs across Australia by 2031.

“Ensuring GP trainees receive equitable pay and conditions is fundamental to making general practice a more attractive career choice and securing Australia’s future GP workforce,” Dr Dickie said.

“It is fantastic to see the Government recognise and accept this critical reform, which will ultimately increase patient access to general practice.”

GPRA extends its thanks to the Australian Labor Party for listening to GPRA as the voice of future GPs, and acknowledges the sector partners who have worked collaboratively on this advocacy, including GPSA, RACGP, ACRRM, and the AMA.

“As we approach the next Federal election, we hope to see all political parties commit significantly to GP training, as some have already done,” Dr Dickie said.

“GPRA continues to push for lasting structural change to support the future GP workforce, and we look forward to working with the Government and sector stakeholders to ensure these long-overdue reforms become a reality.”

ENDS