A SLIGHTLY different shade of green was added to the vibrant greenery of Eaglehawk's Canterbury Park on Friday.
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About 30 people held up "Save Medicare" posters in the park as part of an action day to oppose the federal government's Medicare co-payment proposal.
Shadow Health Minister Catherine King spoke to the gathering, and said it should not be government policy to discourage visits to the GP.
"We see this GP tax as a direct attack on the universal access that we have under Medicare," she said.
"We see that any attempt for the government to raise revenue by way of a GP tax out of Medicare undermines the universal health insurance system that has served this country well for 30 years."
Attendees signed a Save Medicare petition, to be tabled in federal parliament, and wrote their own messages on posters.
Bendigo Community Health acting CEO Anne Somerville said Bendigo Community Health GPs provided 6000 appointments in August, which at $7 per appointment, could place a strain on the community.
She said it made sense to support primary care as much as possible.
"Primary care is becoming more expensive, however it's never going to be as expensive as acute care will be down the track," Ms Somerville said.
"We are committed to trying to keep as much focus up on the primary care end so that our community can be as well as it can be.
"If we don't keep our doors open to community health, we will lose all of that."