Thursday, 20 March 2025

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (23:32): (1540) My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for Health, and it is in relation to the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s community transport program. The action I am seeking is that the government consider the funding request to allow the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s community transport program to be able to continue. We know that the Royal Flying Doctor Service does a tremendous job. It is well known, it is iconic and it does an extraordinary job in regional Victoria, providing vital services that connect rural and regional Victoria to essential health care. The problem for this community transport program is there is doubt about this ongoing funding that I have mentioned. I met with the Royal Flying Doctor Service recently to discuss this particular program and the many benefits it provides for people in the regions. The program helps patients travel to and from health appointments and funded social support groups. People living in rural and regional areas of Victoria are disadvantaged when it comes to accessing affordable and reliable transport to health appointments and specialist services, having to travel long distances for basic care.

I have spoken about this issue in the house today in relation to the shocking situation around the closure of the accommodation at the Royal Women’s Hospital, which is disadvantaging women from rural and regional Victoria – women accessing and needing oncology management and treatment but also women and their families who have babies in intensive care. It is an absolute tragedy that that building has been sold off by the government. These services support women with those particular health needs and other people attending specialist appointments who have got chronic conditions but also, as I have just mentioned, provide that oncology care.

It is very, very important that rural and regional Victorians are not disadvantaged if they do not have the ability to travel to Melbourne and get the treatment they require. That is what the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s community transport program does. It helps connect those Victorians who need that care to get their care and management. As I said, the Royal Flying Doctor Service is seeking funding from the state government to enable it to maintain its current operations that cover 10 sites across the state, providing 22,000 journeys to appointments per year. I hope the government will look on this favourably in the upcoming budget to ensure that this vital program continues.