Health system
Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question is to the Minister for Health. Can the minister confirm that there are now more than 100 000 Victorians on the state’s elective surgery waiting list?
Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:09): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Unlike those on the other side of the house, our government is committed to transparency when it comes to the release of data—
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! Members will come to order. I cannot hear the Minister for Health.
Ms THOMAS: As I said, unlike those opposite, our government is absolutely committed to increasing transparency of the data in our health system. And to that end, we release quarterly reports on hospital performance and indeed on ambulance services. This is something that those on the other side of course sought to hide. They sought to keep the truth from the people of Victoria. We will be releasing data when it is ready and when it has been validated, and it will be available for public scrutiny at that time.
Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:10): I thank the minister for her answer. Thousands of Victorians on the elective surgery waitlist are waiting in pain, waiting for life-changing operations and waiting for the government to take their health concerns seriously. Given these figures are now overdue, are being hidden from Victorians, I ask the minister: when will they be released and when will Victorians know the true state—
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! I cannot hear the Leader of the Opposition’s supplementary question.
Mr GUY: Given these figures are overdue, when will they be released and when will Victorians know the true state of vital elective surgery delays in this state?
Mr Battin interjected.
The SPEAKER: Member for Gembrook!
Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:11): Once again I thank the member for Bulleen for his supplementary question. I make this point: our government is committed to the release of this important health system performance data, and it will be released in the normal fashion. To say that it is overdue is in fact incorrect. The quarterly data has been collated and has been compiled. It is still being fact-checked and validated, and when it is ready it will be released.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! I will not ask members again to come to order. Members will be removed from the chamber if they are too loud.