Gilmore News Update - Fiona Phillips Federal Member for Gilmore

 

12 January 2026 Hello! Here we are in February already and there’s so much happening in Federal Parliament and right across the Gilmore electorate over the past couple of weeks. A country girl at heart, I always love attending the local ag shows and this year I’ve had a wonderful time meeting with participants, organisers and community groups at Kiama, Berry, Nowra and Eurobodalla shows. And I’m really looking forward to going to the remaining local shows over the next few weeks. I was also delighted to attend a number of our local Australia Day community celebrations and Citizenship ceremonies. Huge congrats to our Australia Day Award recipients and, as always, a warm welcome to more than 80 new Aussies to Kiama, Shoalhaven and the Eurobodalla! Being out in the community and supporting local organisations is so important and I was honoured to attend the 40-year celebration of the Friends of the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden.  I was also pleased to announce a Saluting their Service grant from the Albanese Labor Government to help the Shoalhaven Historical Society restore a significant local red ensign flag, and to officially launch Mission Australia’s Rebuild service in Nowra with outreach support services across the South Coast. The Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre lawn was a sea of blue for the University of Wollongong’s Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands campuses graduation ceremony and it was fantastic to see so many new nurses and teachers among the 51 graduates. In parliament I joined the celebration for three years of free TAFE – something very close to my heart - and met with representatives of our important South Eastern NSW Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic. In more good news, we’re expanding bulk billing across Australia, with 32 fully bulk billing medical clinics in Gilmore, and more than 2260 households are saving on their energy bills after installing a solar battery. I know everyone is super keen to see the doors of Nowra’s Medicare Urgent Care Clinic open – and so am I. This is an important service for our region and I’m delighted that it will be up and running very soon! Finally, a big congrats to our wonderful headspace Nowra team that took out a national award at the inaugural National headspace Early Career Awards event in Canberra. You can keep up-to-date with my daily activities, speeches and local news by following me on Facebook HERE. Check out my latest media releases and speeches below and I hope to see you out and about in the community soon! Fiona Fiona Phillips MP Federal Member for Gilmore Cost-of-living help for patients, with 32 fully bulk billing medical practices in Gilmore New figures announced on the 11th of February 2026 reveal that, in just three months, the number of fully bulking medical practices in Gilmore has more than doubled thanks to the Albanese Labor Government’s GP bulk billing incentives. For the first time, bulk billing incentives will be paid to GPs for every patient they bulk bill on the south Coast. Previously, these incentives were only available to children under 16 and concession card holders. Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips said there were 32 fully bulk billing practices now operating across the electorate. READ MORE HERE …  MEDIA RELEASE: Cost-of-living help for patients, with 32 fully bulk billing medical practices in Gilmore Mission Australia's Rebuild service officially launched An additional free support service to help people following a suicide attempt or suicidal crisis, in South Eastern NSW, was officially launched on Wednesday the 28th of January, 2026. Mission Australia's Rebuild program was officially launched by Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips and State Member for South Coast Liza Butler along with COORDINARE - South Eastern NSW PHN. Mrs Phillips said Rebuild would deliver life-saving impacts, especially through expanded face-to-face support in Shoalhaven and Goulburn-Mulwaree. READ MORE HERE …  MEDIA RELEASE: Mission Australia's Rebuild service officially launched Grant to restore Shoalhaven’s significant wartime flag   A red ensign flag presented to World War I recruits as they departed Nowra as part of the 1915 Waratah March will be restored thanks to a Federal Government Saluting their Service (STS) Commemorative Grant. Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips supported the Shoalhaven Historical Society’s successful application for $2,420 to preserve the flag. Mrs Phillips said it was important that stories of military service were commemorated and shared in a defence town like Nowra. READ MORE HERE …  MEDIA RELEASE: Grant to restore Shoalhaven’s significant wartime flag Condolence Motion for Victims of Bondi Terror Attack At 9am on December 20, the waves lapped gently on the sand and the morning sun warmed the solemn faces of hundreds of surf life savers who stood shoulder to shoulder on beaches right along the New South Wales South Coast and Far South Coast. For three minutes, lifeguards, volunteer surf live savers, young Nippers and community members stood side-by-side in silence, to pay their respects to those who lost their lives at Bondi Beach one week earlier - on December 14 – a day that changed our nation forever. It was so heart-warming to see life savers from ten locals surf clubs in my electorate - from Kiama in the north to Moruya in the south - come together for this quiet moment of reflection, unity and solidarity. READ MORE HERE …  Condolence Motion for Victims of Bondi Terror Attack SPEECH: Gilmore Australia Day Awards and Honours Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (13:25): I'm so proud of the six outstanding residents who were recognised on the 2026 Australia Day Honours List for their selfless service to communities right across my Gilmore electorate. Eurobodalla Meals on Wheels president Phillip Armstrong of Broulee was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the community. Now a resident of Rosedale on the far South Coast, William Baker was awarded an OAM for his service to the community of Queanbeyan. Decorated former police officer and Rotarian Kenneth Hutt of Berry was awarded an OAM for his service to the community. Margaret Snelling of Kiama was awarded an OAM for her service to hockey, but her contributions go way beyond the hockey field. The fifth OAM for Gilmore was awarded to Shane Wicks from Gerringong. Kiama's Mitchell von Borstel was honoured with the Australian Corrections Medal.  READ MORE HERE …  SPEECH: Gilmore Australia Day Awards and Honours SPEECH: Medicare changing lives in Gilmore Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (11:16): On Friday I met with Dr Eva Morris and her husband and practice manager, Jason Morris, at the St Georges Basin Medical Centre, who jumped at the chance to register for the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program. Dr Morris said they took up the incentive because it's good for their business and good for their patients. They want to make a difference in their community, and they want to help their patients, including older patients, many with multiple health conditions, and young families, who are feeling the cost-of-living pinch. READ MORE HERE …  SPEECH: Medicare changing lives in Gilmore SPEECH: Conserving Shoalhaven's Military History Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (16:15): Last week I was pleased to drop into the Nowra Museum and meet with the enthusiastic and dedicated members of the Shoalhaven Historical Society. The local historians work really hard to look after and showcase the history of our region. As a proud defence town, it's really important to ensure our military history is preserved. That's why I was delighted to announce that a very special Red Ensign flag will be restored, thanks to a federal government Saluting Their Service commemorative grant. The flag was presented to World War I volunteer recruits as they departed Nowra as part of the 1915 Waratahs march. The flag represents a significant day in our town's history, so I was happy to support the Shoalhaven Historical Society's application for $2,420 to preserve it. READ MORE HERE …  SPEECH: Conserving Shoalhaven's Military History SPEECH: Help with cost-of-living and delivering for my community Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (16:46): People in my electorate of Gilmore put their faith in me once again at last year's election because they know, as part of the Albanese Labor government, I will continue to deliver for my local community. I've delivered important community infrastructure, like the Jervis Bay intersection flyover, which is well underway, the new RFS sheds at Manyana and Lake Conjola, a new surf lifesaving club at Gerringong and the reconstruction of the Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council building, which was destroyed in the Black Summer bushfires. The people of Gilmore voted for cheaper medicines, cheaper child care, free TAFE, reduced student debt and tax cuts. They voted for more bulk-billing GP clinics and wage increases for our wonderful aged-care workers, and they voted for Medicare urgent care clinics, with the new Nowra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic due to open very soon. READ MORE HERE …  SPEECH: Help with cost-of-living and delivering for my community QUESTION: Seniors better healthcare Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (14:43): My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. How are the Albanese Labor government's changes to bulk-billing delivering better health outcomes for older Australians? Why was this necessary after a decade of cuts and neglect? Mr RAE (Hawke—Minister for Aged Care and Seniors) (14:43): I thank the Member for Gilmore for her tireless advocacy for older people across her community on the beautiful South Coast of New South Wales. I'm grateful for the opportunity to tell the House how we're supporting senior Australians to access the services they need, no matter their means. I'm happy to inform the House that bulk-billing for over-64s is now at over 88 per cent thanks to this Labor government. New data shows that older Australians can now access over 3,400 Medicare bulk-billing practices across the country. In the member for Gilmore's community, 32 clinics are now fully bulk-billing. That's an extra 12 clinics since our changes came into place, delivering free health care to seniors close to home. READ MORE HERE …  QUESTION: Seniors better healthcare Yours sincerely, Fiona Phillips MP Member for Gilmore Please contact me on: Fiona.Phillips.MP@aph.gov.au (02) 4423 1782 Authorised by Fiona Phillips MP, ALP, Nowra  Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.