Wednesday, 5 June 2019

 Mr TAYLOR (Bayswater) (19:07): (741) I wish to raise a matter with the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers. The action I seek is for the minister to come down to my community in Wantirna to visit Eastern Health and the new site for the aged-care facility funded by the Andrews Labor government in this year’s budget. This government has a strong, proud history in delivering for senior Victorians and on health care across Victoria. This government ended the shameful war on paramedics. We enshrined in law nurse-to-patient ratios, giving respect to those who care for us and better care for those who need it most. This government has made record-breaking investments in more nurses, more doctors, more allied health professionals and more midwives to ensure every single Victorian is cared for when they need it. And we recently announced that we are investing a record-breaking $5.5 billion into health to ensure every Victorian gets the best care.

Right here in our community in the east, we are doing exactly what we said we would do. In September last year we promised we would build a brand-new aged-care facility in Wantirna—and we are getting on with doing just exactly that. It is $81.5 million well spent, giving local seniors the care, attention and facilities that they deserve. Spread across four floors, its 120 beds will be divided into 60 general high-care beds as well as 60 mental health beds, meaning nobody will miss out. It will change the game for aged care and health in our area. This centre will complement the existing geriatric medicine hospital and palliative care services already offered at the site, creating an unrivalled health-care hub for older residents in Melbourne’s east.

While aged care might be daunting for some, it will mean that they are able to have the world-class care in our community that they can call home. It will change the game for aged care well and truly in our area. I am proud that we are delivering on this important election commitment, and I would love for the minister to come down to our community to meet the hardworking health care workers at Eastern Health and to see the site where this is going to be delivered for our community. I thank the good minister for his hard work in ensuring that this promise is being delivered in full.