State Budget Must Deliver for Rural Patients on Travel Subsidy Shortfall

18 June 2025

Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Deputy Leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto is calling on the Crisafulli Government to deliver a fairer deal for rural and regional patients burdened with high out-of-pocket medical travel costs, by locking in an increase to the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS) in next week’s State Budget.

Mr Dametto said it was unacceptable for rural and regional Queenslanders to fork out hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars just to attend necessary medical appointments far from home, with the current PTSS rates falling short of covering those costs.

“If you live in the city and need to see a specialist, you can usually do it without even leaving your suburb. But if you’re from the bush or smaller regional towns, it’s a totally different story,” Mr Dametto said.

“Rural and regional patients have to travel hundreds of kilometres, stay overnight, and in many cases pay out of pocket for fuel, food and accommodation just to get the healthcare they’re entitled to.

“While the previous Labor government made a minor increase to the scheme, it was pitiful. Four cents per kilometre and ten dollars per night was a drop in the ocean. The current PTSS rate (34 cents per kilometre for private vehicle travel and $70 per night for accommodation), simply isn’t enough in today’s cost of living climate.

“People are going without medical treatment because they simply can’t afford to travel. That’s not good enough in a state like Queensland where we pride ourselves on fairness and an apparent world-class public health system,” he said.

“With the new Government set to hand down their first Budget next week, I’m calling on Premier Crisafulli and his Cabinet to show that they mean it when they say they back regional Queenslanders. This isn’t just a North Queensland priority, increasing the PTSS will have a far-reaching benefit across every regional area of Queensland.

“A fair go means access to healthcare no matter where you live. Increasing the travel subsidy should be one of the LPN’s top priorities in this Budget. Anything less than 60 cents per kilometre for private travel and $120 per night for accommodation is not equitable.”

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