Benambra electorate
Mr TILLEY (Benambra) (14:45): (6210) My constituency question is to the Minister for Health, and it is great to see him at the table at this time. The question I have for the minister is: what is the number of staff who have been receiving the hospital surge support allowance at Albury Wodonga Health—that is, the precise number? Albury Wodonga Health has more than 2000 staff, but many are denied the allowance despite being exposed to COVID every day. We have orderlies moving COVID patients every day who do not get the allowance. Others are in and out of COVID-exposed wards and still others work closely with doctors and nurses treating these COVID patients but are also excluded. I get that the allowance is designed as an incentive to keep existing frontline COVID staff, but many argue the definition is too narrow and workers may not be front facing but are clearly caught in the COVID crossfire.