Ministers statements: COVID-19
Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (11:08): Very much on topic in terms of taking action to support those who need it most, a $437 million injection to the health system has been announced today. That is what is absolutely critical—new money and new funding so that we can open new beds, employ more staff, buy more equipment and make sure that we have got the protective equipment and everything that the system needs at this stage. I hasten to add this will not be the last announcement we make in terms of providing support to our health workforce and, through them, to the tens of thousands of patients who will need additional care. These new spaces are all recommissioned spaces. For instance, the old Peter Mac—we are going to open up wards there. We are going to have treatment spaces and health services for the people of Geelong and that region through opening up parts of the old Baxter House. We are going to commission shell space at the Bendigo Hospital. Right the way across the state—and there will be many more of these announcements—we are providing to our dedicated clinicians the resources and the resolve so that they are ready to provide care and support to those who will need it most. When it comes to equipment, when it comes to additional capacity, this $437 million on top of the $100 million that was announced on Sunday is, in every way, everything that our health system needs at this point.
I do again make the point that the need will grow and our investment will be there consistently. I take this opportunity to thank our health workforce, and not just those who are frontline service providers. Health is delivered by teams of people: cooks, cleaners, orderlies and people who work in admin. The whole team across our health system is doing an amazing job to be ready for the worst of this health emergency. Bureaucrats and departmental officials of the Department of Health and Human Services—they are working very hard as well. We are all in this together, and the government is playing its part by providing the resources required to save lives and to provide the very best care.