Outback families are hoping for change as a review into Queensland's Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme unfolds. The scheme is designed to support patients who lack access to specialist medical services in their local area, but it's facing scrutiny due to its perceived inadequacy in covering the rising costs of travel and accommodation.
Tarni Keily, a primary school teacher from Mount Isa, shares her experience with the scheme. She and her husband must set aside $1,000 for their three-to-five-day visits to the Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane for her son Eli's medical appointments. The couple is grateful for the financial support they receive for flights, but they argue that the accommodation rebate is not keeping pace with the rising cost of living. The current rebate is $70 per person, per night, which they claim is insufficient to cover even the most basic accommodation in the city.
Kirra Kucks, an operations manager at Julia Creek Station, also faces significant travel costs. She makes a six-hour round trip every week to Mount Isa for breast cancer treatment, incurring about $200 in fuel costs weekly. The PTSS allowance of 34 cents per kilometre for her 250-kilometre journey is not enough to cover her expenses, and she often finds herself out of pocket.
The review of the scheme aims to simplify the process of making travel claims and expedite reimbursement times. However, Traeger MP Robbie Katter, whose electorate includes much of north-west Queensland, argues that the subsidy rates are outdated. The last update was by the former Labor government in 2023-24, which increased concession rates from $60 per person, per night to $70 per person, per night. Mileage rates were also increased from 30 cents per kilometre to 34 cents per kilometre.
Mr. Katter challenges anyone who has to fly for specialist appointments to try and feed themselves and find accommodation on $70 a night. The debate over the adequacy of the subsidy rates and the need for an update to better reflect the current cost of living is a contentious one, and the review is expected to address these concerns. The outcome of the review will significantly impact the lives of many Outback families who rely on the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme for their medical needs.
