Tuesday, 22 September 2026

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (14:39): (1490) My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, Judy had her routine mammogram through BreastScreen in Geelong in early June. On 3 August she finally received an email saying she needed to return for reassessment. She had her follow-up mammogram and a biopsy and received the devastating news on 14 August that she had cancer. Minister, why is it taking 71 days for women to get their results for a routine mammogram?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (14:40): I thank Ms Crozier for her question, and I am sorry to hear about the experience of that particular individual –

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Ingrid STITT: Judy. As you would appreciate, I do not have the details of her particular case, nor would I, but if you provide me with those details, Ms Crozier, I would be very happy to follow that up with the department and have them liaise with BreastScreen Victoria, who I must say do an amazing job across the state. If you provide me with her consent and the details, I will be more than happy to follow up.

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (14:41): That is not answering the question: why is it taking 71 days? Minister, I spoke with Judy. She feels incredibly let down. In her email to me, which I believe was also sent to her local MPs, a number of them – a number of them sitting in the government – she said:

I am learning now that I need to trust the process in my care and … treatment. But I am angry that the process of mammogram – results has let me down. I kept up my end of the process, only to be let down by your end of the process and that is so disappointing.

Minister, this is not timely care. Delays in obtaining results can mean the difference between life and death. How many other women have developed cancer as a result of these delays?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (14:41): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. Of course nobody in this place would argue the importance of timely health screening. I do want to acknowledge that BreastScreen Victoria do run an absolutely amazing service for women right across the state, particularly those –

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Ingrid STITT: Ms Crozier, you can continue to interject. President, on a point of order, this is becoming a bit of a habit here, where Ms Crozier comes in and does not want to listen to the answers but just actually wants to interject while I am trying to give a very serious answer to a very concerning experience of a Victorian in our healthcare system.

Georgie Crozier: On the point of order, President, the minister is debating. She cannot even answer basic questions, and I am going to continue to bring these cases in and highlight to Victorians the failures under Labor.

The PRESIDENT: The minister was answering the question, and it would be a lot better for the chamber if we could hear her answer without any interjections.

Ingrid STITT: I have been consistent in the chamber when individual patients’ circumstances are raised. It is not for any other reason but respecting the privacy of the medical issues at play here, and I have been –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, the minister refuses to respond to the questions I ask. This is not asking about the person’s individual circumstances. This is about why the system is failing – 71 days to get results – and how many other women have got cancer because of the failures in the system. I ask you to bring the minister back to answering the specific questions that I ask of her.

The PRESIDENT: The minister is being relevant.

Ingrid STITT: Yes, and the answer I am giving is highly relevant because it goes to the patient privacy considerations when matters are raised in the chamber. Ms Crozier is being quite disingenuous here, because she knows that my office follows up very promptly when that consent is provided – (Time expired)

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (14:44): I move:

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

Motion agreed to.