Queensland launches $40,000 GP incentive

A $40,000 incentive has been launched for doctors beginning their GP training anywhere in Queensland this year.
 
Announced by the Queensland Government on Tuesday, the $24 million General Practice Trainee Incentive will offer the one-off payment to eligible doctors.
 
It says this means 575 doctors who have either commenced or are soon to begin their general practice training in 2025 are expected to benefit.
 
The State Government will now work with the RACGP and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine to implement the initiative. 
 
State Health Minister Tim Nicholls said he is ‘pleased to provide assistance for Queensland’s future GPs’. 
 
‘We are doing what we can to help doctors complete their GP training because we know how important GPs are to communities across Queensland,’ he said.
  
‘We are removing barriers for the next generation of GPs to ensure Queenslanders across the state have access to quality primary healthcare no matter where they live.’
 
RACGP Queensland Chair Dr Cathryn Hester said boosting Australia’s GP workforce, especially in rural and remote communities, is one of the college’s highest priorities, and this new incentive will ‘make a real difference’.
 
‘The RACGP is pleased to have worked behind the scenes with the Crisafulli Government to provide this crucial support to GPs in training,’ she said.
 
‘We know it will boost GP availability in communities across the state, and supporting the GP workforce is essential for a healthy Queensland. 
 
‘The incentive applies statewide. It doesn’t matter which community you’re living and working in, or the training pathway you’ve chosen, every Queensland GP in training in a primary care setting will receive this incentive boost.’
 
The incentive was first announced last year as a way to ‘bolster Queensland’s primary care services’.
 
Dr Hester said she now hopes initiatives, such as the one announced in Queensland, will encourage more doctors to train as GPs.
 
Last year, the Victorian Government announced a similar $32 million, two-year program which saw 800 grants of $40,000 made available to eligible doctors across 2024 and 2025.
 
The success of this grant was proven just one year into its rollout, with data revealing 64% of applicants said the program influenced their decision to enrol in GP training in Victoria.
 
Additionally, 59% of recipients are now doing their placement in regional Victoria, and 13% said they moved to Victoria from overseas or interstate because of the program.
 
Conversely, in New South Wales, where a lack of incentives is aligned with fewer GPs entering the profession.
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright described the funding as ‘a really great initiative’ by the Queensland Government.
 
‘I welcome this support to help reduce the barriers for junior doctors choosing to go into general practice,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘We’re really excited to see a similar initiative roll out nationwide next year thanks to the Federal Government’s announcements during the election campaign.’
 
Those Federal Government election commitments include $265 million to expand GP training with 200 additional training places per year from 2026, growing to 400 by 2028, and $205 million to fund salary incentives for junior doctors to specialise in general practice.
 
Information about eligibility and how to apply will be available on the RACGP website.
 
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