Coalition's planned 650,000-visa cut threatens doctor supply, ACT warns
ACT Health Minister warns Coalition visa cuts risk harming doctor recruitment and healthcare.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor announced the Coalition would cut 650,000 temporary visas over four years if elected. The cuts would bring net overseas migration to 100,000 annually for two years, then 130,000 and 160,000.
ACT Health Minister Marisa Paterson warned the cuts could harm recruitment of overseas-trained doctors, who are essential to Canberra's hospitals. Emergency physician Dr Shakeeb Bani-Yaseen arrived on a visitor's visa in 2014.
He now directs medical services at an ACT hospital. He said the maths are clear: Australia trains about 4,000 doctors yearly but needs 7,000.
The Coalition says its plan includes exemptions for health and aged care workers. But it offers no detailed modelling.
Labor's plan targets net migration of 245,000 this year and 225,000 in 2027-28, prioritising skilled healthcare visas.
- 650,000 over 4 years
- Temporary visas to be cut
- 4,000
- Doctors Australia trains yearly
- 7,000
- Doctors Australia needs yearly
- 2014
- Year Dr Bani-Yaseen arrived
Why it mattersIf overseas doctors and healthcare workers can't come to Australia, hospitals won't have enough staff to treat patients and waiting lists will grow.
AustraliaAustralian hospitals, particularly outside major cities, depend on international medical graduates; visa cuts would directly shrink the doctor workforce available to patients.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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