Thursday, 13 August 2026

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:17): I rise to update the house on how the Allan – the Carroll Labor government is committed to improving access to affordable, high-quality health care for women across our state. Last week I had the pleasure –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! Reset the clock. Minister Stitt, from the top, please.

Ingrid STITT: I wish to update the house on how the Carroll Labor government is committed to improving access to affordable, high-quality health care for Victorians and particularly for women, as have previous premiers been absolutely committed to this across the state. Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the Royal Women’s Hospital and meeting with the incredible workforce who are there delivering high-quality care to women from across Victoria every single day. At the Women’s I had the opportunity to meet with nurses, including the incredible Marie, who has been working there for many, many years in the women’s health clinic, and to listen and learn from them about how their work is underpinned by helping women understand that their pain and health concerns do not have to be endured quietly.

For too long we know that women’s health issues have been overlooked, underdiagnosed and often go untreated. That is why this government held the inquiry into women’s pain, which heard from more than 13,000 women, girls, carers and clinicians, highlighting the scale of this issue. The inquiry found that bias, stigma and a lack of understanding of sex and gender differences in health settings have let many people down without appropriate care, with 90 per cent of respondents experiencing pain for more than a year and 54 per cent living with pain every day. To support our commitment to address these inequalities, we are delivering a $154 million package, a record investment in women’s health in Victoria, to change the way that women’s health issues are treated in this state, including investing in 20 new women’s health clinics across the state, a mobile women’s health clinic, Aboriginal-led clinics, virtual women’s health clinics and expanding the sexual and reproductive health hubs. Through our sustained investment and commitment to reform, Victoria is setting a new standard in women’s health care, addressing entrenched medical misogyny and building a health system that works better for everyone.