The coastal town of Batemans Bay with nearly 14,000 eligible voters has been returned to Eden-Monaro after it was included in the Gilmore electorate at the last redistribution.

Coinciding with the announcement by the Australian Electoral Commission, Dr Kelly who was in Batemans Bay last week for a consultation forum with doctors and health professionals promised GPs in Batemans Bay retention grants of up to $12,000 a year to encourage them to stay in the region, in a joint announcement with Minister for Rural and Regional Health Warren Snowdon.

The changes to the program, which take effect from July 1, 2010, will provide $15,000 to eligible doctors who relocate to Batemans Bay from a major city.

After one year in practice they will become eligible for a retention grant of $2500, rising to $12,000 a year after five years.

Under the current system of incentive payments, GPs in Batemans Bay qualify for a retention grant of up to $5000 a year only after an initial six-year wait.

Dr Kelly said health workforce issues were a crucial issue for the southern NSW coastal region.

''These changes represent a significant improvement from the old GP incentive scheme and shows the Rudd Government is serious about attracting GPs to communities like Batemans Bay and encouraging them to stay,'' he said.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times