Dr Gordon Reid sworn in as MP and challenged right after

Dr Gordon Reid MP for Robertson was officially sworn into Federal Parliament this week in ceremonies both inside and outside of Parliament House in Canberra.

Within hours of assuming his parliamentary role, he was confronted by journalists, who quizzed him about hospital waiting times and the new government’s commitments to reducing stress on emergency departments across the country, where Dr Reid worked until only a few months ago.

Member for Robertson, Dr Gordon Reid MP said he is honoured and humbled to have been officially sworn in at the start of the new federal parliamentary term.

“I am honoured by the privilege of representing the people of Robertson in the 47^th Parliament of Australia. It is also exciting to think about the positive contributions I can make, as part of the new Albanese Labor Government, for the community I was born in, raised in and now represent in our nation’s parliament.” Dr Reid said.

“I look forward to getting down to the business of helping secure a better future for the people of the Central Coast and delivering on the election promises that I made during the recent federal election,” Reid said.

“I was also pleased to have in the gallery watching the swearing in ceremony, my beautiful partner Shaylee, my supportive mother and father, Leanne and Bryan, along with my sister, Grace.

Dr Gordon Reid MP is the 15^th Member to represent the Federal Division of Robertson, which was named after Sir John Robertson, the fifth Premier of New South Wales. Dr Reid is the 7^th Member of the Australian Labor Party to represent the seat.

Also this week a traditional aboriginal ceremony was held, a tradition that has developed over the last two decades and is increasingly seen by MPs as an important adjunct to the official swearing in ceremony inside the house.

“As a proud Wiradjuri man, the commitment of our new government to implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, is something I am extremely proud of.” Said Dr Reid.

Though it was on health policy that he was quizzed at a doorstop interview by a Queensland journalist just outside Parliament House.

Asked about hospital ramping (the practice of Ambulances being put in a queue around hospitals) and if the government was looking to support the States to provide more ambulance services?

“You are absolutely right, hospital ramping is an enormous issue not just in Queensland, but in my home state of New South Wales and the Central Coast,” Reid said.

“Some of the patients that we see in those ambulances are people that couldn’t get into see their GP in a timely fashion or couldn’t afford to see their GP and the only option they’ve got is calling an ambulance and getting to the Emergency Department.

“That’s where the Medicare Urgent Care Clinics come in – they are for the patients that are too sick for the GP, not sick enough for the emergency department and they are designed to take pressure off our hospitals.

“So, this is a pilot programme right across the country, so 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.

“Talking about my home region of the Central Coast, there will be two – one for Dobell and one for the seat of Robertson and how they will work is existing GP clinics will be given block funding in order to adjust how their clinic outlay is, get more equipment, get more staff and that’s how it will fit into the system.”

David Abrahams