Housing
Gabrielle DE VIETRI (Richmond) (14:17): My question is for the Premier. In 2019 Cohealth in Collingwood asked for assistance from the government to repair and upgrade their crumbling community health centre and build 50 co-located community homes at their Collingwood site. They were asking for a government contribution of $25 million for a project that would benefit the broader community in both a health and housing crisis. Every year since, that project has been put on the government’s radar at budget time, but the government has consistently turned its back on funding this shovel-ready project. Why hasn’t the government taken this opportunity to upgrade the health centre and provide 50 new, ideally located community homes in Collingwood?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:18): In acknowledging the member for Richmond’s question and how in the past she has not supported public and social affordable housing in her electorate, I will say –
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, you are warned.
Ellen Sandell: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier knows that question time is not an opportunity to attack other members, and I would ask you to bring her back to the question.
Ben Carroll: On the point of order, Speaker, the Premier has only been on her feet for 14 seconds, and she was going directly to the question on community homes and just pointing out the member’s local record when it comes to supporting community housing.
The SPEAKER: I remind the Premier not to attack the opposition, and I ask the Premier to continue to answer the question.
Jacinta ALLAN: Those of us on this side of the house are proud to partner with those providing community housing outcomes, because you do not only get the housing outcome, you get the wraparound supports that can make such an important difference in keeping Victorians and their families in that safe, secure housing environment. In regard to the matter that the member for Richmond raised, I will refer that to the minister for housing. But once again, the member for Richmond raised something and mentioned 2019. I remind the member for Richmond that in 2021 as a member of the Yarra council she voted down social and affordable housing projects.
Gabrielle DE VIETRI (Richmond) (14:20): The current situation at Cohealth is so bad – and I have seen it for myself with my own eyes – that there are waterfalls inside the corridors when it rains. They have to cancel appointments when it rains. A new report by Infrastructure Victoria tells us why: community health organisations receive just 0.3 per cent of the $2 billion the Victorian government spends on health infrastructure annually. The community health centre supports our communities, it takes the pressure off our hospital systems and, if it was properly funded, it would save Victoria’s public healthcare system hundreds of millions of dollars in the long run. Will the Premier respond to Infrastructure Victoria’s call and increase community health’s share of Victoria’s health infrastructure budget?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:21): Just last week I had the opportunity to visit a great community health centre, Eastern community health, and see firsthand how they are delivering, thanks to government funding and support, a great program that is targeting and providing telehealth and online support to women right around Victoria for their sexual and reproductive health needs. That is just one example of many I could give to the member for Richmond about how we are proud to back our community health providers, because they are such an important part of our health system. I am proud – we are going back a way – that it was Gough Whitlam in the 1970s, a Labor government, that started the community health sector, and it has been Labor governments that have continued to invest in community health. They provide great local care in local communities, and I am proud to support them and the great work they do.