Tuesday, 18 March 2025

Medical research

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (00:24): (1515) My adjournment matter this evening is for the minister responsible for medical research. There is an enormous concern amongst the medical research sector about a lack of funding.

David Davis interjected.

Georgie CROZIER: Mr Davis interrupts and says, ‘Sure is.’ They are very concerned, Mr Davis, about what it will mean to their ongoing ability to deliver great research and life-saving trials and outcomes for many, many Victorians as well as many Australians and those in the international sphere.

Victoria has a very proud record of medical research, and there are thousands of people that work in this sector. It is a very important sector, not only from the medical research component but also from an economic perspective. We have got world leaders in this space, whether it is the Walter and Eliza Hall institute, Burnet, the Murdoch research institute, Florey, Olivia Newton-John or St Vincent’s Institute. There are just multiple research institutes, and they are being put under enormous pressure by the lack of security from the government in funding that they require to continue with this work. The action I am seeking is that the government provide that funding before the budget, because there needs to be some certainty now. The budget is some weeks away. Last year the budget was cut in this area. The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre’s Professor Grant McArthur spoke of the concerns that he had – 75 per cent cuts to that research institution. Professor Ricky Johnstone has also stated just what is at risk in relation to the government’s lack of funding.

We understand – all Victorians understand – that the economic situation, the budgetary position that the Allan Labor government has put Victoria in, is very dire. We are paying $18 million a day in interest alone. The money that is needed by these very able, very committed and very worthy research institutes is less than a week’s worth of interest that this government is paying. It is an absurd situation where we have got this fantastic industry at risk because of the incompetence of the Labor government in managing Victoria’s finances. I say again: that money must be secured, it must be guaranteed, and these research institutes need to have the assurance from government that the money will be provided.