Sick and Tired

It seems the scab has well and truly been ripped off the sore that is rural health. Many of the seven million Australians who live outside the big cities are sick and tired of the way they're being treated and are quite rightfully demanding action. Liz Hayes knows their pain. Three months ago, she reported the horrific story of the death of her own father, who tragically was an all too familiar example of the dangers of falling ill in the country. In the weeks following her report, 60 MINUTES was swamped with more stories about medical failings in regional and rural Australia, including from many dedicated doctors and nurses working on the front line. Their blunt assessment is a major worry: they say they can no longer prop up our ailing rural health system.

Reporter: Liz Hayes

Producer: Natalie Clancy