Richard Moffatt says he’s noticed people from nearby towns needing to stay in Wagga for the night. Photo: Supplied.
The general manager of a Wagga cancer charity says the Federal Government needs to urgently remove fuel taxes for those who live in rural postcodes, to ensure people can still afford to travel to receive lifesaving medical treatment.
Richard Moffat runs Lilier Lodge and Wagga Can Assist, which provides subsidised accommodation and financial assistance to those suffering from long-term illnesses and their families.
“We are starting to see regional cancer patients from as close as Henty seeking accommodation support in Wagga because the cost of travelling back home is more than staying here the night,” Mr Moffatt said.
“Generally, people who live in towns like Temora, Henty and Junee will go home at the end of their treatment, but that has changed over the past two weeks.”
Mr Moffatt says soaring fuel prices are now a major barrier to accessing basic health services – particularly for those in small towns who have to travel long distances to see specialists.
“We know this crisis is affecting farmers and truck companies, but there’s also families who have to travel to Wagga for an appointment, x-ray or radiotherapy,” he said.
Under the NSW Government’s Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Scheme (IPTAAS), residents can apply to be reimbursed for part of their expenses if they have to travel more than 100 km for treatment.
“But you don’t get any support whatsoever from government if you travel less than that. There will be regional people who forgo treatment simply because they cannot afford to travel,” Mr Moffatt said.
“The Federal Government could remove the fuel excise and the GST from fuel for anyone living in a regional or rural postcode noting that those people living outside the major cities are more susceptible to the rising cost of fuel.”
The fuel tax is around 51 cents and is included in the price of every litre of fuel sold in Australia.
Mr Moffatt said the tax could be waived temporarily during the crisis and that politicians could also make public transport more accessible.
“I’m calling on the NSW Government to explore a targeted initiative to enable country cancer patients to access New South Wales TrainLink (XPT) services at no cost where rail is a viable option to attend treatment,” he said.
Last week, Treasurer Jim Chalmers ruled out any cuts to fuel taxes.
“When it comes to the fuel excise, that’s not something that we’ve been considering,” he told a recent press conference.
Olga Forner, who runs Griffith Can Assist, said she’d found the fuel crisis had been manageable, but it was a matter on the agenda for her next meeting.
“At the moment, the biggest complaint from families we help is the cost of the medical services themselves. We have a lot of people who now have to travel to Wagga for an MRI or an ultrasound, because there’s such a long wait in Griffith. The cost can be almost as high as $1000 for an MRI, and Medicare doesn’t cover it,” she said.
“But rising fuel costs will just add to expenses. One thing the NSW Government should look at doing is broaden eligibility for IPTASS, so you get support if you’re travelling less than 100 km.”
