Tuesday, 20 September 2022

 Mr DIMOPOULOS (Oakleigh—Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Creative Industries) (12:49): In our last sitting week for the year I would like to highlight the many things our government is doing in my community and has achieved for my community. This year has brought challenges along our road to recovery, but that has not stopped us. In fact we are the best performing economy in all of Australia and we have the lowest unemployment rate in nearly 50 years. Our health system, just like other states and nations, is under pressure. Despite the statements the Liberals have made, we are taking the necessary steps to provide the best and most successful health care and health facilities for every Victorian, including in my community at Monash hospital and the heart hospital. We have made the biggest investments in our history to recruit more nurses, doctors and staff; to build more hospitals; to establish primary care centres; to purchase new ambulances; to employ more paramedics; and to upgrade more emergency departments. As I said, the Victorian Heart Hospital in my patch is the first dedicated and specialist heart hospital in all of Australia, and this is something that I am especially proud of.

Last year I visited the new Monash emergency department in Clayton, offering more beds, more procedure rooms and a dedicated children’s emergency area.

There will be free kinder permanently by 2023 and over 60 free TAFE courses, many of which are available at Holmesglen TAFE in my community. Major school upgrades in my local area continue. Mental health practitioners continue in every secondary school, and every single special school in Victoria has been upgraded or has at least been funded for an upgrade. There will be a guaranteed five days of sick pay for workers in casual and insecure work in my community because no-one should have to choose between a day’s pay and their health. That and a lot more in my community—(Time expired)