Gray adds spark to Medicare milestone

Brand MHR Gary Gray helped Medicare celebrate its 30th birthday last week by presenting a cake to the Rockingham branch.

Mr Gray said even though the policy was started with Labor, he believed the health care system was a credit to both sides of politics because it continued to adapt to the needs of Australian families.

“It’s one of the best pieces of public administration and public policy,” he said.

“It’s the best in the world, not as a safety net, but for all Australian families in an equal way.”

Baldivis residents Cedric Tan and his family, from Singapore, have recently become Medicare members.

“Medicare is so convenient and the staff here are so knowledgeable and helpful,” he said. “The service is really valuable because we are able to get basic healthcare not offered to us in Singapore.”

Rockingham branch employees Vicki Gear and Lea Daly-Atkinson have been with Medicare since its initiation.

“We have seen a lot of changes, but it’s a good place to work,” Mrs Daly-Atkinson said.

“The people we meet are the best thing about this job,” Mrs Gear said.

Rockingham service centre manager Shelia McCulley said the centre was one of the busiest in the region, which provided an excellent, non-discriminative service for the Australian public.

“There is a lot of support in store and online,” she said.

“The new app is very popular and our customers love it.”