Tuesday, 15 October 2019

 Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (13:53): I would like to acknowledge the work of the 28 primary care partnerships and the 850-odd health partners that the primary care partnerships work with across Victoria, providing support in the area of preventive health. I think it is somewhat disappointing that only last week the primary care partnerships all received a letter from the department saying that their service agreements will extend to June next year—and I see the minister is in the house. But these primary care partnerships, who do so much work in the community, can see through the government and can see through the disingenuous nature of those stay-of-execution letters that were delivered. I think it is incredibly disappointing for the primary care partnerships, who even the Premier, when he was health minister, said provide—and I quote—‘significant work to help people with chronic illnesses’. He also said that people avoid hospitalisation ‘particularly when people and the health agencies can work together on preventative actions and early intervention’.

They, together with other health workers across the state, are seeing what is happening under this government. Our once-proud mantle of providing a world-class healthcare system is fast slipping under the Andrews Labor government. We have seen the cyber attacks and we have got funding cuts that are impacting the delivery of services across the hospital network, and of course it is Victorian patients and their families who are the ultimate losers because of the decisions of the Andrews Labor government.