Wednesday, 23 September 2026

 Michaela SETTLE (Eureka – Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Water) (14:12): I rise today to update the house on our Labor Government’s continued commitment to increase access to health care right across regional Victoria. Every Victorian deserves access to high-quality health care, and for too many regional families, accessing dental care can be difficult – waiting for appointments or simply putting off treatment because the cost is too high. That is why I am so proud that we will establish three free dental clinics in regional Victoria. But it does not stop there. Labor is investing in our regional hospitals. We are redeveloping the Ballarat Base Hospital, Barwon Women’s and Children’s Hospital at University Hospital Geelong and Warrnambool Base Hospital. $75 million from our Regional Health Infrastructure Fund is upgrading infrastructure right across rural and regional health services.

We understand that access to housing can be a barrier for recruiting healthcare professionals, and that is why we have the wonderful initiative the Regional Worker Accommodation Fund. We are investing in accommodation for our essential workers. Earlier this month I was proud to open 33 new worker apartments for Goulburn Valley Health, right in the centre of Shepparton. These projects make a real difference in attracting and retaining the workforce our regional communities rely on.

In the bush those opposite are talking about empty guarantees, and in town it is all cuts, cuts, cuts. And we have seen it before – cuts to hospitals and services cut. Regional Victorians have not forgotten when the opposition sold off Mildura and Latrobe and prepared the Austin for sale. They closed 12 ‍hospitals in country Victoria.

The SPEAKER: The minister will resume her seat. If members actually addressed their comments through the Chair, they would see that I was calling for the minister to resume her seat.

David Southwick: On a point of order, Speaker, ministers statements are not an opportunity to attack the opposition, and I would ask you to sit the minister down.

The SPEAKER: The minister was referring to a previous government.

Michaela SETTLE: That is correct. They closed 12 hospitals in Eildon, Koroit, Mortlake, Murtoa, Red Cliffs, Macarthur, Clunes – (Time expired)