Senator NASH (New South Wales—Deputy Leader of The Nationals in the Senate and Assistant Minister for Health) (14:44): I thank the senator for his question and acknowledge his very real interest in rural and regional health. This government recognises the very real inequity that still exists between country and city when it comes to the provision of health. This government is committed to improving health outcomes in rural and regional areas, as we have shown through the recent budget. One of the things that is extremely important, and that we enabled to be provided— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: On my left and on my right, Senator Nash is entitled to be heard in silence. Senator NASH: One of the things the government recognises is the importance of teaching and training medical students in rural and regional areas. There are a number of provisions in the budget that address that. One of these is the $238.4 million of funding over five years that will double the Practice Incentives Program teaching payment. This will double the rate for general practices that provide teaching to medical students. That is recognition by this government of how important the job is that those general practices do. There is also a rural loading for that of 50 per cent for rural and regional areas. We have provided $52.5 million over three years for the existing general practices for infrastructure grants so that they can improve their capacity to teach those medical students. We have also provided $13.4 million over three years for an extra 500 scholarships for nursing and allied health, recognising that across the health sector in rural and regional areas it is vital that we take into account all of those professions that are providing such an important service for our rural and regional people. There is also an additional $6 million in the budget that those opposite may or may not know about for the very important work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service to expand their essential services, to ensure they can proceed as they need to. (Time expired)