Tuesday, 13 August 2024

Western Victoria Region

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (13:10): (1016) My constituency question is for the Minister for Health. Victorians elect governments to manage the state on their behalf and pay taxes so services for the public good can be fairly and efficiently provided. Between elections they trust their government to do this. On 9 August, Minister, you were quoted in the Premier’s health services media release saying:

… these reforms will keep us on track … at the same time protecting the local services we know Victorians trust and rely on.

Protecting local services – yet on that same day the Camperdown Chronicle revealed the shock news, shocking even to the doctors involved, that the Camperdown Hospital will be shut for all planned births. Minister, how is that protecting local services? How can Victorians trust you with their health service when you promise to protect local services but their local maternity ward is closed? Can you promise it will be restored immediately and permanently?