The debate on the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) - a state government payment subsidising travel and accommodation for patients seeking treatment - was initiated by Wagga MP Joe McGirr last week.
The debate highlighted that those seeking urgent treatment and healthcare are entitled to just $43 per night under IPTAAS — one seventh of the daily travel allowance paid to politicians.
Mrs Dalton said it was a “grossly unfair” system.
“Country people shouldn’t have to drive for three hours when they’ve broken a bone, if they are nine months pregnant, suicidal or dying of cancer,” Mrs Dalton said.
“But after stripping services across rural hospitals, the least this government could do is provide sufficient, accessible financial support for those who now must travel to bigger cities for basic health care.
“But no. You actually put people through hell to travel and access the inadequate scraps you dish out.”
In just three years, Deniliquin’s Karen Luckel has made almost 40 trips to Melbourne — often staying for multiple days while her husband received treatment for cancer.
As primary carer, it is Mrs Luckel that handles much of the paperwork, while her husband suffers fatigue, headaches, and the ‘realities’ of a life-threatening illness.
Were it not for the cancer charity CanAssist, she says she would be an “extremely poor” woman.
‘‘It’s the kind of thing you wouldn’t know about until you needed it,’’ she said.
‘‘And honestly, even the people who are aware would avoid it if they could.’’
Mrs Luckel says submitting the forms required by the IPTAAS is an onerous and confusing process.
‘‘It’s an absolute nightmare,’’ she said.
‘‘Its too much paperwork for the doctors, let alone those who are less tech savvy.
‘‘There is a minimum of two six-page forms you have to fill out, and they just ask the same things over, and over, and over.
‘‘God forbid you misread a question or don’t get a page signed, suddenly you’re starting from scratch.’’
All this entitles Mrs Luckel and her husband to just $60 per night in travel allowances — $43 if travelling alone.
“When was the last time you saw a hotel room anywhere in Australia that cost $43,’’ Mrs Dalton asked parliament Tuesday last week.
“A patient that needs to travel to another city for medical treatment gets just $43 if they’re travelling alone.
“That is a ridiculously low rate. This rate has not been changed in 10 years.
“By contrast, politicians who travel to Sydney for work get a daily allowance of $310.’’
