Thursday, 27 August 2026

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:11): (1448) My question is to the Minister for Health. Gary is 81. He had a fall two weeks ago and, when he presented in pain, had a CT scan and was found to have a large mass on his pancreas that had spread into his splenic vein. He was immediately referred to Latrobe Regional Health oncology, but when the family heard nothing and followed up, they were told the referral was never received. When the referral was sent again, they were told there were no appointments in the foreseeable future. He was then told to go to Monash ED, where he waited all day only to be told they could not do a biopsy, only a blood test. They did not have a bed for him, so he went home to Drouin. The government’s own guidelines state that the optimal care pathway for pancreatic cancer in Victoria set strict timelines and best practice guidelines to ensure timely referral, diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment. Suspected or proven cases must be seen by a gastroenterologist, oncologist or HPB surgeon within one week of referral. Minister, what is the average wait time for specialist services in regional Victoria for patients such as Gary who have been identified as having pancreatic cancer?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:12): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. I am very sorry to hear about Gary’s experience. Again I offer my support in following up that individual case with the department to make sure that Gary is receiving relevant information and support from the health services that need to be providing care to him. There are a lot of clinical decisions that are made. I am not going to pre-empt any follow-up in relation to an individual case of this nature, but I stand ready and am very happy to assist with following up if consent is provided from Gary to do so.

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:13): That was not the question I asked, and the minister has a habit of deflecting about the questions. I will ask for that to be reinstated. The supplementary is: Minister, Gary’s son Dean wants to understand why there is a discrepancy between regional Victorians and patients in metropolitan Melbourne in receiving timely care.

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:14): Of course our health services provide care right across the state –

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Ingrid STITT: On a point of order, President, I am 3 seconds into trying to assist Ms Crozier in answering her question.

Georgie Crozier interjected.

The PRESIDENT: Ms Crozier, please. The minister is responding to your question.

Ingrid STITT: I am very keen to, as I have already offered, assist with Gary’s situation. But Ms Crozier is adding additional layers to her question about clinical decisions that will be the –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, this question highlights again the failures within the system.

The PRESIDENT: You are not making a point of order, you are making a statement.

Georgie Crozier: I would ask you, President, to ask the minister to come back directly to the question I asked around the discrepancies and ask the minister to respond to the question.

The PRESIDENT: I hate paraphrasing people, but the minister referred to clinical decisions, which I think was part of her answer.

Ingrid STITT: It is not going to be my practice to get into the details of individual patients’ care. Ms Crozier has given some details about Gary’s situation, and I stand ready and very keen to follow this up with my department.

Members interjecting.

Ingrid STITT: On a point of order, President, there is a level of hostility being thrown across the chamber when I am very clearly outlining the ways in which I will happily assist Ms Crozier. I ask you to call her to order.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Can I call the house to order. The minister is dealing with a serious matter, and she is being responsive.

Ingrid STITT: For quite legitimate privacy reasons I am not in a position of –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, on relevance, this is not about privacy. This is about the failures in the system and why this patient is not getting timely care and why it is happening. I would ask you to bring the minister back to answering the specific part of the question that I have asked on behalf of this family.

The PRESIDENT: Do you want me to respond to the first point of order? I believe the minister has been relevant to the question during the periods that I have been able to hear her, other than at times when interjections across the room have made it very difficult to hear her.

Ingrid STITT: As I have been attempting to do, I am not in a position to get into individual patient details in the chamber, but I want to assist Ms Crozier. If she is able to provide me with the details of Gary’s situation, I will follow that up.

Georgie Crozier: I move that the minister’s hopeless responses be taken into consideration on the next day of meeting.

The PRESIDENT: I cannot put that question.

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:17): I move:

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

Motion agreed to.