Wednesday, 17 June 2026

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:48): (1364) My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, given the well-known cash crisis that hospitals are currently experiencing, are all hospitals in Victoria paying their bills on time?

Harriet Shing: Sorry, what?

Georgie CROZIER: Are all hospitals in Victoria paying their bills on time – yes or no?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Health, Minister for Water) (12:48): Ms Crozier, the premise of your question indicates that you have actually got no intention of hearing about the work that we are doing to invest in hospitals to meet that demand and to make sure as we continue with the work on model budgets and on funding that hospitals continue to have the support that they need to be able to deliver that care to Victorians in any number of different circumstances. Across the health budget we are continuing to invest in those health services that provide a difference every single day in a range of different settings. Ms Crozier, you are well acquainted with the system that operates here in Victoria, which is somewhat unique in comparison to other states. We have many more health services in metropolitan and rural areas. We also have a range of supports and services that overlap across various parts of the health system. This is why, again, it spans a number of different portfolios. We have got 78 health services. Sixteen of those are metro. We have got six large regional hospitals, 51 smaller regional, rural and multipurpose hospitals and five specialist and statewide hospitals. We have increased the staffing by about 50 per cent across the health service landscape since 2015. That would be vulnerable to $40 billion in cuts. We have continued to invest in health to the tune of tens of billions of dollars, with $32 billion in this year’s budget, and we are continuing to make sure that our public hospitals have the support that they need in order to be able to deliver those life-saving services.

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, I have been listening to the minister’s answer intently over the last nearly 2 minutes. This is a serious question, and I ask the minister to come back around. Are hospitals paying their bills on time? It is a very simple question, and I do not know that we need a whole history of what has gone on – just a very simple answer.

The PRESIDENT: I think the minister was being relevant to the question. I do have a concern as to whether the minister would have that level of detail for every hospital and whether there is one late bill, but I will bring the minister back to the question.

Harriet SHING: Ms Crozier, you are actually making a really good case at the moment for cost-of-living support, which is exactly why we are investing in the health system with $32.3 billion in fact. We are delivering record health funding for our system, because we need to continue to build on years of positive investment. As is the usual practice, Ms Crozier, as I would hope you would understand, individual hospital budgets are developed through a draft model budget process, which I flagged in my opening remarks, before they are finalised. That process kicks off after the budget is handed down, as I am sure you are also aware, Ms Crozier, and those processes are made public through the statement-of-priorities process and annual reports, as I am sure you are also aware. We are continuing to deliver that funding, we are continuing to make sure that frontline workers and patient care are front of mind and we will continue to work with health services to manage their cash positions. They can fluctuate, Ms Crozier, as I am sure you are aware, but all Victorian health services had the funding they needed at the end of 2025 to meet their financial obligations and maintain high-quality care.

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:52): I note that the minister failed to answer the question, and she was referring to last year. It is now June 2026. Minister, what advice have you received from your department in relation to the impact on patients as a result of this cash crisis, and in particular, are services at risk?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Health, Minister for Water) (12:52): Ms Crozier, the only way there will be a cash crisis in the health system is when you take an axe to it to fund your $40 billion in cuts.

Renee Heath: On a point of order, President, question time is not an opportunity to attack the opposition, and I ask the minister to come back to the question.

The PRESIDENT: I will ask the minister to come –

Georgie Crozier: What advice have you got? Is that it? Is that your answer?

Harriet SHING: Yes.

Georgie Crozier: Is that her answer, President?

The PRESIDENT: I believe so.

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:53): I move:

That the minister’s response be taken into consideration on the next day of meeting.

Motion agreed to.