Joint Submission to the Inquiry into Rural, regional and remote Medicare access and funding

FECCA, AMWA and the Collaborative welcome the opportunity to contribute to the Senate Standing Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport’s Inquiry into Rural, regional and remote Medicare access and funding.

Multicultural communities are an increasingly significant part of rural, regional and remote Australia. 2023-24 ABS population figures indicate that net overseas migration has contributed to more than 59% of regional growth in recent years. However, regional migration has not been matched by proportional investment in culturally safe, linguistically accessible and equitable primary health care services.

People from multicultural communities in rural and regional Australia experience compounded barriers to accessing primary care within a system that is already structurally under-resourced. Evidence indicates that rural health systems operate with a significant funding shortfall, with Medicare utilisation substantially lower in more remote areas despite higher health needs. This reflects a broader reality that Medicare, in its current form, does not function as a truly universal system outside metropolitan context. This is especially true for multicultural communities living in rural and regional areas.

For multicultural communities, systemic gaps are further compounded by barriers such as language, health literacy, visa-related exclusion from Medicare, and low trust in institutions. As a result, many individuals experience layered disadvantage, facing not only geographic inequities, but also a system that often lacks the capacity to accommodate the time, complexity, and cultural considerations required for safe and effective care.

While recent Medicare reforms aim to improve affordability and access to primary care, the benefits of these reforms may not be fully realised by multicultural communities without deliberate policy design that addresses structural barriers. Medicare reform must ensure investment supports equity, cultural safety and language access by design to ensure fair and consistent access across rural, regional and remote Australia.

To complement this submission, the Collaborative consulted our network to capture the lived experiences of multicultural people living and working in these areas. We received responses from healthcare professionals, consumers, carers, and representatives from community organisations. While not representative, responses provide valuable illustrative insights into how systemic barriers are experienced in practice.