Thursday, 10 September 2026

 Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (21:50): (2803) Because of the incredible advocacy of Rochelle Halstead, Bass Coast locals have the opportunity to finally have access to world-class health care under a Jess Wilson–led government, because we will complete the Wonthaggi Hospital redevelopment. Leading up to the last election, Labor promised $290 million to upgrade the Wonthaggi Hospital, but true to form, four years on they have failed to deliver on that promise, and this is despite an incredible need. Statistics show that people living in Bass Coast experience substantially poorer health outcomes and higher rates of chronic disease than those living in metropolitan Melbourne. Almost 40 per cent of Bass Coast residents live with long-term health conditions such as arthritis, cancer and heart disease. This community also sees higher rates of avoidable deaths. In Victoria statistically there are around 111 to 117 GPs per 100,000 people, but in the Bass Coast that number drops to lower than 90. That is a staggering drop, and it is having huge consequences. Victoria has roughly 1352 nurses and midwives per 100,000 people, and in Bass it is only 1105, so it is over 200 less per 100,000 people. That is why our rural health workforce incentive scheme, covering doctors, nurses, dentists, midwives and allied health professionals, is going to make such a huge difference. The statistics in Bass are sobering because they really do reflect the lack of healthcare infrastructure and the result of broken promises by this Labor government. So my question for the Minister for Health and the action that I seek is for her to explain: if they failed to deliver on their promise in Bass Coast, despite this massive need, did the government intend to deliver what they promised at the last election and fail, or was this just a promise used to buy votes?