The federal government announced that more than 2,100 Commonwealth-funded GP training places will be offered in 2028, described as a record number. Health said in a statement that doctor registrations rose from 6,200 when the Albanese Government took office in 2022 to more than 10,300 in FY26.
At least half of new GPs entering the program will train as rural GPs or Rural Generalists. The Commonwealth will again deliver more than 2,000 funded places in 2027.
From Semester 1, 2026, eligible registrars became entitled to new incentive payments, comprising $30,000 salary incentives alongside payments covering study and parental leave. The GP training program is delivered jointly by the RACGP and ACRRM, with registrars completing three to four years of training to qualify as specialist GPs or rural generalists.
Bulk billing across all GP visits reached 63% in 2026, climbing from 56% in each of the two preceding years, SBS News reported. The report attributed the rise to increased Medicare incentives. Government investment in Medicare reached $489 per person in 2026.
RACGP president Dr Michael Wright said the rise was a meaningful recognition of general practice, but contended that further funding is needed because Medicare has not matched the realities of modern general practice and does not adequately cover the time required to care for patients. The RACGP has called on the federal government to lift Medicare patient rebates for longer consultations.
Among practising GPs, 67% reported that psychological conditions were the top reason patients sought care in 2025. That share climbed from 61% in 2017, peaked at 72% in 2023 after the COVID-19 pandemic, and has stayed elevated since. Professor Cathy Mihalopoulos, Head of the Health, said GPs play an important role in helping patients seeking mental health support to navigate a fragmented health system.
Australians deferring healthcare because of cost dropped from 8.8% in 2025 to 7.7% in 2026, with the 25-to-34 age group remaining the most likely to delay. The expansion of GP training places, combined with salary and leave incentives, is intended to grow the GP workforce, particularly in rural areas. Cost-related deferral of GP care has eased, though adults aged 25 to 34 remain the demographic most likely to put off visiting a GP for financial reasons.
Official statements: Health
Reporting: SBS News
Written by Pick & Scroll News from the reporting and documents linked above.
