Thursday, 29 May 2025

Western Victoria Region

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (14:07): (1624) My question is to the Minister for Health and concerns the axing of funding for the By Five Early Years initiative in last week’s state budget. Operating across Horsham, Yarriambiack, West Wimmera, Hindmarsh and the Northern Grampians, this award-winning program has transformed access to paediatric and developmental care for rural children in Western Victoria by linking them with Royal Children’s Hospital specialists via telehealth. This program has reduced wait times from months to weeks, ensuring early diagnoses and timely support for complex medical conditions. Families in Western Victoria already face huge barriers to health care. The dismantling of the colorectal and pelvic reconstruction service has already compromised the health and quality of life of many children across regional Victoria. Cutting funding for By Five will only further widen the gap between city and country health care. Minister, urgently reinstate the $3.5 million of funding over four years to this vital and proven initiative.