Wagga MP McGirr condmens 'bias' against funding rural health in NSW

"I acknowledged that the government was making moves in the right direction, and they have invested in infrastructure, but I still think there is a bias in the health department and government that is metropolitan," Dr McGirr said.

Dr McGirr said staffing levels at Tumut hospital, the lack of ability to perform autopsies in Wagga and overreliance on telehealth as examples of "bias".

Orange MP for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, Philip Donato, moved last month that Parliament note the "Liberal-Nationals government is overly biased toward metropolitan projects at the expense of the bush" and called for an "equal distribution of essential services".

Dr McGirr told The Daily Advertiser that he supported all the points in the motion, which was defeated by a margin of four votes.

Wagga-Based Nationals MLC Wes Fang said the Shooters party was being "disingenuous" and its motion was a "publicity stunt".

"This is the party that is backing Labor, and we know that in 16 years under Labor that Wagga never got its hospital, Tumut never got its upgrade," he said.

"We have seen the investment right across rural and regional NSW in healthcare through the roof.

"For the Shooters to try and knock our record on this is a disgrace...Is there always more you can do? Absolutely but that's the nature of a diverse community across a wide area."

During debate on the motion, Dr McGirr told Parliament about the experience one of his constituents had at Tumut hospital last year,

"They arrived at the hospital after six o'clock in the evening with severe pain. The patient said, 'I was told that I would be transferred to Wagga Base Hospital', which is about 1.5 hours away, 'as there were no doctors available'," Dr McGirr said.

"'I was one of four people to be transferred at that time. I said I was happy to share an ambulance with someone else to save resources'.

"They were prepared to share the ambulance. There is nothing like rural people, is there? They are always looking out for others and putting up with reduced resources."