Tuesday, 16 June 2026

 Tim RICHARDSON (Mordialloc) (19:06): (1702) My adjournment this evening is to the Minister for Health Infrastructure. The action I seek is an update on the timeframe of construction of the redevelopment of Dandenong Hospital. This is a significant investment that is being made in health, one of 11 hospital upgrades that has been made by this Labor government, because it is Labor governments that invest in health care. It is the nurses, doctors and allied health workers that Labor governments always protect and support.

We see each and every day the risk of a Liberal–One Nation coalition, and we see this now more real than ever before. We see One Nation running absolutely over the top of the Nationals, and we see the significant risk to the Nationals seeking to exist in the state of Victoria. It will be a tragedy to see the 100-plus-year-old National Party recede out, but then we see as well the huge desperation to survive as a Liberal movement – now down federally at 17 points on recent polling. That is right, 17 points is where Angus Taylor and the federal Liberals are. We see that populism has taken over policy. Who will be on the side of health workers in Victoria? It will be a Labor government who will be on the side of hospital investments, with 11 hospital upgrades. We have seen Peninsula University Hospital, we have seen Dandenong Hospital receiving an upgrade, and literally Monash Medical Centre is out of the ground. When those opposite, the Liberals, had their chance federally they absolutely tore a hole through federal health funding. When they had an opportunity to front up to nurses, what did the former Premier’s family do? They gave them the middle finger. Literally, that was how our health workers were treated.

At a time when services matter, when governments need to intervene to support the health outcomes for Victorians – because we know people are doing it tough and we know that these hospital upgrades and investments are so important – an upgrade at Dandenong Hospital will mean so much to so many in our community. It will deliver nine new operating theatres, a new intensive care unit and 16 beds as part of an upgrade to day surgery admissions. It is part of a $305 million investment in the Dandenong Hospital. Those in my community know just how significant it is – their maternal child services and the maternity ward as well – with so many of the bubbies of my community going through Dandenong Hospital or up to Sandringham, Frankston or Monash. It is a significant part of our health infrastructure and our communities. I am so proud that this Labor government backs health how it has for 10 to 12 years, because Victorians know it is in our DNA to support health, not the populist cuts and destruction that would be a Liberal–One Nation and National coalition.