Tuesday, 28 October 2025

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:42): My question is for the Minister for Health, and it is regarding the safety of staff at the Wodonga hospital campus of Albury Wodonga Health. Minister, will you provide lighting in the Martin Park car park to improve safety for Albury Wodonga Health staff, who are currently being threatened by aggressive youths? In the past year staff at the Wodonga hospital have been terrorised by a group of lawless pre-teen youths. These youths, aged between 10 and 12 years of age, scale the hospital’s roof and throw rocks at the staff and have threatened doctors with knives and machetes in the car park. This is a hospital where more than 1000 staff who work 24/7 in emergency, maternity and general wards finish and start shifts at all hours. There is not enough parking provided at the hospital, so some staff are forced to park in the neighbouring football reserve, where there is no lighting in the car park. Police and security are doing their best, but doctors, nurses and other staff who must walk to their cars alone in the dead of night need better protection. I urge the minister to provide lighting in the Martin Park car park.