Mark was delighted to re-connect with President Tilak, who he had worked with when Tilak lived and practised in northern NSW.

He started by describing his involvement with a Rotary Group Study Exchange Team to Central Florida about 30 years ago, and how that had encouraged him to discover and take charge of his own destiny. 

Mark described how regional health is often seen as people’s second choice, if they can not gain a position in a capital city, and how he is trying to change this by establishing training programmes for regional roles.

Next year there will be more regional training positions, which he hopes will lead to more health practitioners remaining in country areas. one of the areas being addressed is suitable employment for the partners.

Currently, following the breaking of the drought, there are over 40,000 rural  job vacancies in rural areas, but no overseas applicants due to Covid restrictions. 

Changing people’s perception of working in the bush is needed, to encourage doctors, nurses and health auxiliaries to apply for some of these jobs. 

He described problems of working in bush, and the wide area of skills that rural practitioners can acquire. Appointments at base hospitals help keep practitioners up to date in obstetrics and anaesthesia.

Question time involved several visitors: Dr Elizabeth Wearne of East Gippsland enquired about the role of GP training in rural areas, and Robyn Powell of There Kimberleys brought up the subject of alcohol abuse and the need to change peoples motivation. 

Mark closed his talk with a brief discussion of late-onset polio, and his involvement in polio prevention programmes. 

The Hon Mark Coulton MP 

The Hon Mark Coulton MP is the Minister for Regional Services, Decentralisation and Local Government in Australia's Federal Coalition Government. He has served in the House of Representatives as the Member for Parkes since 2007.

Mr Coulton has also held the position of Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Ageing and the Voluntary Sector, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Water and Conservation and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Emerging Trade Markets and was the National Party's Chief Whip from September 2010 to May 2016.

Prior to his election to the House of Representatives, Mr Coulton was the Mayor of Gwydir Shire Council from 2004 until 2007 and has an extensive agricultural background having spent 30 years as a farmer and grazier.

Mr Coulton is married with three children.