Tuesday, 7 May 2024

Health funding

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:12): I would like the Minister for Health to categorically rule out forced amalgamations for health services across the state where health services have nominated to go down a partnership model, which has been in place for decades. I actually was the first signatory to the Wimmera Southern Mallee Health Alliance, which was a working partnership for hospitals in that part of the state. I know of many hospitals who have said, ‘We do not want to amalgamate. We do not want to merge under Ballarat. We don’t want to see a future erosion of local governments, local decision-making for staff, but most importantly local services.’ So I ask the minister to rule out that hospitals who have elected to go down the partnership model will not be forced to amalgamate with larger health services. I do note in the budget papers that the Rural Health Infrastructure Fund has been scrapped. I condemn the government for that. We need to continue investment in our rural health services and not just kick them to the kerb as we force them to merge into the larger regional health services.