The Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester says Gippslanders seeking a career in health are being restricted by Monash University policy.
During a speech in Federal Parliament, Mr Chester said he was concerned about the direction taken by the university in Gippsland and questioned how committed Monash was to regional students.
“I have raised these concerns directly with Monash over the last couple of years, but I would pose this question: is Monash University fair dinkum about Gippsland and about the hopes and aspirations of regional students?” Mr Chester said.
“The recent history would say suggest that it is not fair dinkum about the future of its services in the Gippsland region.”
Mr Chester said the Howard Government had provided funding to promote a pathway for regional students to study medicine at the Gippsland Medical School.
“I fear that Monash, through its behaviour in recent years, has effectively blocked that pathway for many Gippslanders,” Mr Chester said.
“When Monash University withdrew from tertiary education in Gippsland, they retained the medical school. Monash University has since changed the eligibility criteria for entry into the medical degree.
“The single major impediment to having a successful pathway for regional students to enter medical school in our region is an unjust and unjustifiable policy put in place by Monash University that states that students must study an undergraduate Monash degree.
“And only then, after they’ve had that three years away from their hometown and that support that’s provided to them, can they apply to go to Gippsland Medical School in Churchill.
“I don’t think it’s good enough. In 2018, surely Monash could work with Federation University or other regional based universities and establish a pathway which doesn’t require students from Gippsland to pack up their whole lives and move to Clayton, whether they want to or not.
“Health professionals in Gippsland are very concerned that any change in the delivery of the School of Rural Health will impact on the development of staff and students in our community.”
Mr Chester said he would keep a watchful eye the Monash University review of the School of Rural Health, which had been announced.
“I’m not optimistic, given Monash’s previous decision and the negative view they’ve had on Gippsland, that this review is going to be positive for our region,” Mr Chester said.