Thursday, 20 June 2024

Health funding

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:20): My question is to the Premier. Why were health services across Victoria instructed by the government earlier this month to cut their budgets by up to 20 per cent by 28 June and to cut services to achieve those savings?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:21): The member for Lowan asked me a question regarding health services and their budgets, and I can say to the member for Lowan – I am sure she passes this information on accurately as well to the health services that she speaks to – that in the state budget of this year of course we provided the most funding ever to hospitals across the state. Of course this funding came with a multiyear focus, recognising that as we come out of the pandemic as a community, for our health services, for our hospitals and most importantly –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this question went to a specific instruction around a cut to the budget, and we would ask you to bring the Premier back to the question rather than discussing the topic very generally.

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

Jacinta ALLAN: You are not having a good day. Do you want me to share with you a copy of the standing orders and Rulings from the Chair? Seriously, I was asked about hospital budgets. He raised a point of order on relevance about hospital budgets, and I am being perfectly relevant. My dear, not a good day.

I was referring to hospital budgets, and the reason why we have made the single biggest investment ever in hospital budgets and provided that over a number of years is because, as the community has come through the difficult challenges of the pandemic, those challenges continue to be felt –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, your interjections are not helpful.

Jacinta ALLAN: They are incessant as well, Speaker, I would suggest. For our hospitals and our health systems, the challenges that came about as a consequence of the pandemic – illness and virus circulating in our community, the pressure that that continues to put on our hardworking healthcare staff and our hospital systems – are challenges that they continue to live with. Also, as we move through a period –

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this question goes to the actual pressures of hospitals having to deliver services with a 20 per cent budget cut.

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

Jacinta ALLAN: Also the member for Lowan is misrepresenting what is going on in our hospital system. We have provided record funding.

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: I wonder if the member for Lowan had this much to say when the Murtoa Hospital was closed – did you have this much to say? – because I can say only those who cut services, cut nurses and closed hospitals would talk about cutting into the health budget. Only those who have a record of cuts and closures would come to this challenge with that mindset.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question and being rather unpleasant again.

The SPEAKER: Manager of Opposition Business, I will refrain from calling you for points of order if you cannot do a point of order in the correct manner. The Premier has strayed somewhat from her response to the question that was asked. I ask the Premier to come back.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, for clarity, I just wanted to confirm you ruled in my favour.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Premier will come back to the question that was asked.

Jacinta ALLAN: You could have given it to him, Speaker; he needs a bit of help today. It would have made him feel a bit better on the last day of the sitting. We will continue to work closely with our hospital services. We will continue to invest in them and the hardworking healthcare staff. Only those who have a record of cuts and closures come to the task of supporting our health system with that mindset. We come to the task providing more funding and support into the future.

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:26): Premier, how will health services cut their budgets by 20 per cent in less than three weeks without cutting jobs or services?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:26): I reject the question, firstly. In answering the question, I disagree with what the member for Lowan has put to the house, and I say that in the context that we have provided more funding – an additional $1.5 billion this financial year alone – to our health system, a single biggest investment in Victoria’s health system, and we have done this by investing in country hospitals and investing in city hospitals, not cutting and closing hospitals and not sacking nurses. When it comes to investing in more staff, there are 5000 more doctors, 12,982 more nurses and midwives and 8000 more allied health workers and other staff. This is what comes with investing in our health system and progressively building up services, infrastructure and the staff to care for Victorians right across the state. I want to finish by thanking those hardworking healthcare workers. We will support them – not attack, cut and sack them, like those opposite.