Legislative Council Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time General Practitioner Incentives General Practitioner Incentives The Hon. F. PANGALLO Legislative Council General Practitioner Incentives The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney-General, representing the Minister for Health in another place, a question about incentive payments for GPs. Leave granted. The Hon. F. PANGALLO Legislative Council The Hon. F. PANGALLO: At a recent select committee hearing chaired by my excellent colleague the Hon. Connie Bonaros, the SA Chair of the Royal Australian College of GPs, Dr Goodson, proposed that young hospital doctors should be offered a $30,000 incentive to train as general practitioners to make up for their pay cut when they left the public health system. Dr Goodson said such a scheme would not only tackle the state's GP crisis but, importantly, stop the brain drain to Victoria, which is proposing a similar scheme but valued at $40,000. While the proposal has widespread support among GPs, according to doctors we have spoken to, the state government has no such plans. My questions to the minister are: 1.	Why won't the government introduce such an incentive scheme for young GPs? 2.	What is the government doing to address the statewide shortage of GPs? 3.	Is it concerned that South Australian trained GPs will now leave the state in droves for financial incentives and security in other states? The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Attorney-General Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:52): I thank the honourable member for his very important questions and his interest in the health system in South Australia. I will pass those questions on to the health minister in another place and bring back the reply for the Hon. Frank Pangallo.