Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Petitions

Regional health services

Bill TILLEY (Benambra) presented a petition bearing 645 signatures:

URGENT ACTION NEEDED FOR APPROPRIATE FUNDING OF OUR REGIONAL HOSPITALS & IMMEDIATE HEALTHCARE IMPROVEMENTS

Our region – including Corowa, Rutherglen, Wahgunyah and surrounding towns – relies on Albury Wodonga Hospital and smaller facilities like Corowa Hospital for life-saving care. Without appropriate investment, we risk:

• An inadequate hospital for our growing 300,000+ population.

• Overcrowded emergency departments.

• Longer wait times, poorer health outcomes, and added pressure on local services.

• Difficulty attracting doctors and healthcare professionals.

The Facts

• The current $558 million commitment to upgrade the Albury hospital is insufficient.

• Many medical professionals, Health Associations and Local Councils support the 2021 Clinical Services Plan (CSP) for a single-site Greenfield hospital.

• Smaller hospitals like Corowa need urgent funding to ease pressure on Albury & Wodonga Hospitals.

• Without action, our region faces a worsening healthcare crisis.

We, the undersigned, ask the Legislative Assembly to call on the VIC Government to commit to working with NSW and Federal Governments to:

1. Fully fund a single site Albury Wodonga hospital to meet the 2021 Clinical Services Plan

2. Provide federal support immediate healthcare improvements to the Corowa and Urana hospitals to ensure adequate healthcare for our region.

Ordered that petition be considered tomorrow.