Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Health services

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (18:47): (1600) My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for Health. As we are approaching budget day next Tuesday – which is touted to be a horror budget given the dire financial situation that Victoria is in thanks to the waste and mismanagement by the Allan Labor government – there are many health services who are very concerned about what will be in that budget. Last year the minister and the department secretary sent letters to health services demanding that they cut costs, basically saying that they would be provided with budgets and that was it. There was a huge outcry at the time because of the amalgamations that were being undertaken – of course a lot of those have happened. But last year the Premier then had to come in and ask the Treasurer to prop up, with a $1.5 billion Treasurer’s advance, the health services so that health services could actually provide the health care that they need to to their communities.

There is significant concern again around how our health services will be able to operate, and I am speaking to health services right around the state. The AMA, the Australian Medical Association, have raised a number of key priorities that they also want to see in the budget. They are also looking at those issues, they are talking about the things that can really provide better health services for communities and also support doctors in the work that they do. The ministerial review that was undertaken into employment terms for medical staff has been a major focus and concern of the AMA. The AMA have asked on a number of occasions for the government to release the findings of that review, looking at the recommendations that then align with the enterprise bargaining agreements and the process that will be required for those medical staff. Now, those medical staff are integral to the operation of our public health services, and they provide tremendous support to the entire system. So the action I seek is for the government, the minister, to release that review in the interests of transparency so that the AMA and others can understand exactly the needs that are required.