Rural town offers $1m salary to doctor willing to work there

A tiny remote town in Western Australian is so desperate to get a new GP it's offering to pay $1 million per year plus give free rent to any doctor willing to move there.

Quairading, 164 kilometres from Perth, is home to just 619 people.

The only doctor is leaving.

The council is so desperate to fill the newly vacant position, that they are offering $1 million to any GP willing to move, even throwing a four bedroom house rent-free.

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The huge salary offer stems from the council's fear of locals having to travel an hour for the medical treatment.

"Our other consideration is if we lose our doctor then we're travelling to Northam or York or other centres to get that service," said council member Peter Smith.

"There is a maldistribution of GPs which we are aware of and it has been exacerbated during the pandemic."

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The council will even cover the salary of additional staff and the day-to-day costs of running the Practice.

The town is not the only regional town experiencing doctor shortages, with the Federal Health Minister promising a $180 million investment to attract health workers to rural areas.

He blames the crisis on the "neglected medicare system."

Last year, an outback town made a similar lucrative offer.