All five candidates contesting the seat of MacKillop have declared support for establishing radiotherapy services in the Limestone Coast, according to written responses provided to the Limestone Coast Radiation Treatment Working Group ahead of this month’s state election.

The group, chaired by Naracoorte’s Lachlan Haynes, hosted a candidate forum in Mount Gambier on February 23, putting a series of questions to incumbent independent Nick McBride, Liberal candidate Rebekah Rosser, Labor’s Mark Braes, One Nation’s Jason Virgo, and The Nationals candidate Jonathan Pietzsch.

Some candidates contesting the Mount Gambier seat also participated in the forum.

Mr Haynes told The [Naracoorte] News that the forum was a success.

Ahead of the meeting, candidates were invited to provide written responses to a series of questions regarding the provision of radiotherapy services, along with broader issues relating to health services across the Limestone Coast.

Each candidate in attendance was given two minutes to speak, furthering their submission and outline their support for radiotherapy services and regional health, followed by three minutes of questions from the working group.

Mr Haynes said he was pleased with both attendance and the tone of discussion.

“All candidates were positive in their overall support for this service in our region and demonstrated a clear understanding of the critically important need for radiotherapy services locally,” he said.

“South Australia remains an outlier in the lack of provision of this treatment outside of its capital city, and that must change.”

The working group welcomed the opportunity to again highlight the strong community backing for local radiotherapy services, with the Limestone Coast petition attracting more than 16,000 signatures.

Independent MP Nick McBride said he supported local radiotherapy “in principle,” but stressed the need for careful planning.

“Yes, I support the delivery of radiotherapy services in the Limestone Coast,” Mr McBride said.

“With our growing and ageing population, it is essential that we continue to expand access to health services locally so residents can receive care closer to home.”

He cautioned that radiotherapy required “highly specialised staff and appropriate infrastructure,” adding that funding and implementation should be guided by expert advice to ensure long-term sustainability without compromising existing services.

Liberal candidate Rebekah Rosser said the Liberal team had consistently backed a Mount Gambier-based radiation therapy centre, describing the lack of regional radiotherapy in South Australia as inequitable.

“Our position is clear: access to life-saving cancer treatment should not depend on your postcode,” she said.

Ms Rosser claimed the Liberals supported reinstating $4.3 million in previously allocated federal funding and acknowledged feasibility work indicating the service would require about $1.5 million per year in additional operational support.

She claimed planning and funding agreements should be finalised within the first term of government, with construction and commissioning to follow as a priority regional project.

Labor candidate Mark Braes, who tendered an apology for the February 23 forum, also expressed support.

“I support the provision of radiotherapy services in the Limestone Coast region,” Mr Braes said. He claimed he would advocate for sufficient funding to secure specialist staff and equipment, while highlighting broader investments by the Malinauskas Labor government.

“My overall position on healthcare service provision in the Limestone Coast is that our region is better placed now as a result of the substantive investment in our health and hospital system by the Malinauskas Labor government,” he claimed.

One Nation candidate Jason Virgo also backed the proposal.

“I will work with you (working group) and leverage any power I will gain in Parliament to prioritise it,” Mr Virgo claimed. He added that One Nation’s policy was to return greater decision-making authority to regional health authorities and local hospital boards.

The Nationals candidate Jonathan Pietzsch said the state’s lack of regional radiotherapy was unacceptable and put forward a specific funding estimate.

“Absolutely, SA remaining the only state without regional radiotherapy isn’t good enough,” Mr Pietzsch said.

“It would take a commitment of at least 25 million dollars for establishment looking at interstate costings, I am happy to advocate for that commitment and to have it built within a three-year window is reasonable,” he claimed.

Beyond radiotherapy, all candidates emphasised the importance of strengthening healthcare services across the Limestone Coast, including improving workforce recruitment, expanding specialist services and ensuring care is delivered closer to home.

Each candidate also expressed support for greater local representation on the Limestone Coast Local Health Network board, with Mr McBride saying local membership would ensure decision-makers understood “the specific health needs of our community,” and Mr Braes backing a board comprised of local residents with the “required professional knowledge and experience.”

With the state election approaching, the working group said voters in Mount Gambier and MacKillop could now review candidates’ submissions and participation to better understand their commitment to the issue.

“We will continue to advocate for this vital service and with health a very high priority for so many constituents,” Mr Haynes said.

“The working group hopes voters will give strong consideration to the candidates and their advocacy shared through this process when casting their vote on election day.”

The Limestone Coast Radiation Treatment Working Group has been campaigning for the establishment of a regional radiotherapy centre, arguing it would significantly reduce the travel burden faced by cancer patients who currently must travel long distances for treatment.

This article appeared in The Naracoorte News, 4 March 2026.