Tuesday, 28 July 2026

 Sarah CONNOLLY (Laverton) (14:39): (1717) My question is for the Minister for Health in the other place. As the minister knows, our government has made a number of investments into our public hospitals over the 12 years we have been in government, supporting our frontline healthcare workers and improving care for all Victorians. Those opposite have made it clear that they plan to gut $40 billion out of Victoria, which means cutting one in seven public service jobs, including from our frontline services, no matter how hard they might protest that this will not happen. More concerning is that it is clear they cannot form government alone. They must govern with One Nation, who want to abolish the state’s Department of Health and privatise hospitals. For those of us in Melbourne’s west, no hospital is safe. Is Sunshine Hospital on the chopping block? Did we build the Footscray Hospital just to sell it off? Or what about Werribee Mercy? My question for the minister is this: how will our government protect our hospitals in Melbourne’s west from Trump-style cuts and policies that aim to take us to an Americanised healthcare system right here in Melbourne’s west?

Tim Bull: On a point of order, Speaker, I just want to bring to your attention that I have 14 overdue questions, some dating back to April and one to last year, in the portfolios of environment, public transport, agriculture, housing and ambulance services. I will present a list of those questions to the clerks.