Wednesday, 1 November 2023

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:27): My question is to the Premier. Central Medical Group has operated in Wodonga for over 30 years, with its nine tenant GPs who help treat approximately 400 patients a day. As a result of the government’s health tax, they are looking to move to New South Wales. The Wodonga priority primary care centre only has five GPs. How could they possibly take on an additional 400 patients a day?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Transport Infrastructure!

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:28): Again I thank the Leader of the Opposition for proving that we are stepping in and taking action where the former federal government had led us to a system where Victorians cannot access the bulk-billing doctor they need. I thank the Leader of the Opposition once again for referring to our priority primary care centres. There are 27 across the state, and you have discovered the one in Wodonga. I am sure the member for Benambra is very pleased to note that we have increased expanding our primary care services for his community in Wodonga. He looks pretty happy up there. The member for Benambra is looking pretty happy up there, as you could imagine he would. Of course we are not only expanding our primary care services in Wodonga through our priority primary care centre –

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, the question was about how the priority primary care centre, which only has five GPs, can take on an extra 400 patients every single day. Can the Premier please answer that basic question for the people of Wodonga?

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked.

Jacinta ALLAN: Of course the Leader of the Opposition has presented a hypothetical, and I am talking in actuals in terms of the expansion of primary care services that we are providing for the Wodonga community. Of course the member for Benambra also knows we are making a significant investment in a hospital for the Wodonga community. I know the member for Benambra knows this well, and I want to thank the Minister for Health for her ongoing work with the Wodonga community, which is not only seeing the expansion of primary care services but also an addition to the hospital services for the Wodonga community. Do you know what is also nice, Leader of the Opposition? The local pharmacy pilot is also expanding points of primary care – again, in regional Victoria – and particularly where the pharmacy pilot is expanding access to primary care.

John Pesutto: So you have got to go to your pharmacy to see your GP. Why don’t you go to your chemist?

Jacinta ALLAN: Do you want to stop and listen for a minute? The pharmacy pilot means that women can go and get their contraceptive pill script refilled without having to go to a GP. Do you know why that is important, Leader of the Opposition? Because women should have access to healthcare like this, which is easily accessible and affordable.

I will go even further, Leader of the Opposition. The pharmacy pilot will also provide advice and support for women with urinary tract infections. Women who go through this experience on far too regular a basis know that having to wait to go in and see a GP can cause significant pain. It can take days. Being able to provide these services through a pharmacy, Leader of the Opposition, means that women can get that treatment sooner, more quickly and more affordably. But of course we are expanding points of primary care through the pharmacy pilot, because we are also going to provide the opportunity for the treatment of mild skin diseases to be seen through the pharmacy pilot and some travel vaccines. This is important. This is happening in other states, and we are learning from these activities in other states, because it is about making sure Victorians can access the primary care services they need when they need them.

David Hodgett interjected.

The SPEAKER: The member for Croydon is warned.

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): The latest Albury Wodonga Health annual report outlined that Wodonga failed to meet four out of five key performance targets in relation to timely access to emergency care. Given that Albury Wodonga Health is already failing to meet demand, why is the government driving more patients to the emergency department as a result of their new health tax?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:32): As I have said on a number of occasions today – and again particularly for the Wodonga community – we are expanding access to healthcare services. The work at the hospital to upgrade facilities is about supporting our hardworking healthcare workers in Wodonga, who are not just working hard in Wodonga, they are working across the state. Just yesterday we saw healthcare workers being attacked by the member for Berwick. He was attacking the good work that healthcare workers will be doing in supporting alcohol and drug services, and the Leader of the Opposition stood with the member for Berwick to support those statements.