Bob Bowcher has fought a pitched battle for a specialist nurse in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District since mid-2013, claiming a nurse would provide critical support and guidance to the growing number of prostate cancer sufferers in the region.

According to the latest data, the local health district is dramatically over-represented for prostate cancer, with about 350 locals living with the disease – one of the highest per capita figures in the state.

Under a $7 million funding promise from the previous Labor federal government, nurses have been rolled out to smaller regions in NSW, including Tamworth, Orange and Port Macquarie.

But Wagga, the state’s largest inland centre, has been repeatedly snubbed.

“It would cost $200,000 a year to fund the position; that’s nickel and dime money,” Mr Bowcher said.

“There are four McGrath (breast cancer) nurses here and yet we have higher numbers of people living with prostate cancer than breast cancer.

“This has to be an election issue – it’s not too late for the state government to sign off on this.”

A number of local election candidates are supporting the campaign, with Labor’s Dan Hayes launching a petition to help attract funding.

Mr Bowcher said he was calling on the state government to step up because the federal government had “wiped its hands” of rolling out the nurses.

“Mike Baird has recently announced $3 million for The McGrath Foundation but will not commit to one dollar for a prostate nurse here,” Mr Bowcher said. “It would mean so much to those diagnosed with prostate cancer to have a specialist follow them through the journey.”

He said the nurse would be based in Wagga and travel throughout the vast MLHD area.

Mr Maguire said while funding for the nurses was part of a federal program, he and federal counterpart Michael McCormack would meet with minister for health Sussan Ley next month to push for a nurse locally. “We have given a commitment that we will meet with her and discuss the issue,” Mr Maguire said.