Tuesday, 16 August 2022

Ministers statements: health system

Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:13): I rise to update the house on how the Andrews Labor government is supporting our health system through the unprecedented impact that we are experiencing as a consequence of the COVID global pandemic. Unlike those on the other side, who have always sought to bury the data, this government transparently publishes health performance information every quarter. The latest data confirms that like every health system here in Australia, and indeed around the world, Victoria’s health system is managing record demand. There were over 486 000 hospital emergency department presentations in the previous quarter, an increase of 5.1 per cent. This past quarter was also the busiest in Ambulance Victoria’s history, the third consecutive quarter to break demand records. Indeed what we have seen is that code 1 call-outs peaked at over 97 000, an increase of 16 per cent from the same time last year.

Amidst this record demand the government is responding with record investments to support our system and all of our healthcare workers. Our $12 billion pandemic repair plan is on track. We are committed to the long haul of repairing our health system after the undue pressure it has experienced as a consequence of the pandemic. Those on the other side remain in denial of these impacts, which is so frustrating for all of us and indeed for all Victorians. Of course, as already mentioned, with our $1.5 billion COVID catch-up plan for planned surgery our investment in these private hospitals, making sure that we can deliver public surgeries for public patients, is just a real game changer. Those opposite have made it clear that they do not support public hospitals. They support the privatisation of public hospitals.