Minister for Rural Health Fiona Nash voiced her support for the Murray Darling Medical School during a visit to Forbes earlier in the week - the school would be a partnership between Charles Sturt and La Trobe universities, establishing campuses in Orange, Bendigo and Wagga Wagga.

After Orange councillors threw their support behind the $60 million proposal last month and member for Calare John Cobb added his endorsement, Cr Davis welcomed Senator Nash’s comments as a step closer.

“If they’re educated or do their courses in country areas, they’re more likely to come back to country areas,” he said.

But he said more support was needed to secure the funding.

The universities have put forward $14 million towards the start-up costs, requiring a $46 million injection from the federal government across a four-year period. 

“It’s fantastic that the dental [faculty] has come to the university here in Orange a couple of years ago and you would think with the medical facilities here in Orange, a lot of these extra medical facilities would come in our area,” Cr Davis said.

About 30 per cent of Australia’s population lives outside cities, but only 9 per cent of medical graduates work in rural or remote areas.

Member for Orange Andrew Gee said there had long been a need for the project.

“You don’t have to go too far away in communities in the Central West where you have to wait four, six, eight weeks just to see a GP,” he said.

danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au