Thursday, 5 October 2023

 Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:32): I rise to update the house on the Allan Labor government’s work to support Victorians who want to start or grow their family. For couples with fertility challenges, sole parents and LGBTIQ+ families, IVF can be an absolute game changer – the thing that will deliver them a baby. But on top of being physically and emotionally gruelling for many, IVF services have simply not been within financial reach. For these families the everyday joys of dropping kids at school, trying to get them to eat their veggies and having cuddles on the couch can all seem heartbreakingly impossible. That is why our government’s $120 million investment in public IVF is so important. Once fully implemented, this program will help up to 5000 Victorians every year.

This month marks the one-year anniversary of public IVF here in Victoria, and it is already making a real difference. Since the opening of the services in October last year we have also opened Australia’s first public egg and sperm bank, and we are rolling out satellite sites right around the state. Indeed only a few months ago I was in Mildura, where I am delighted to see there is a satellite service, where I met Rebeka, a local mum who is wanting to grow her family. While Rebeka had previously spent thousands of dollars and travelled thousands of miles in order to access private IVF, she is now able to access this service close to home. This is making a real difference to people like Rebeka and all those who would struggle to raise the money that is required to access IVF in the private system. This is real change, this is transformational change and this is what the Allan Labor government is all about.