Health services
Sheena WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (18:41): (1041) It is a great privilege for me to be part of a community that looks after its neighbours. Victorians bring hot meals to friends who are feeling sick, and they check in on the elderly couple next door to see if they need anything from the shop. Victoria’s strong sense of community is what makes this state, in my opinion, the best place in the country to live and work, and that community spirit is why Victoria has some of the best healthcare services in the world. This government makes bold investment in Victorian health care because we are committed to that same spirit of community care. I myself led campaigns, before this place, at the Stroke Foundation, where I contributed to getting more ambulances on the roads so more Victorians could benefit from the life-saving work of our world-class paramedics. The one, though, that I am particularly proud of is the nation-leading stroke ambulance, and you can see that right around this neighbourhood. Today I am really proud to be part of a government that is investing an additional $1.5 billion in our hospital system. My experience in the healthcare system has shown me that making bold investments in our staff, in our services and in our facilities will give Victorians the best possible outcomes when accessing their hospitals and GPs. It is true to say that there is so much that we can do and will do here in the northern suburbs. My matter is for the Minister for Health and that is to please update me on how our hospitals will be transformed to help Victorians’ health and wellbeing through the Allan Labor government’s $1.5 billion investment announced last week.