Wednesday, 4 August 2021

Hospital amalgamation

Ms KEALY (Lowan) (14:28): My question is to the Premier. A spokesperson for the government said in April:

The Andrews Labor Government is not amalgamating local hospitals and any suggestion of this is simply scaremongering.

Does the Premier stand by this statement?

Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (14:29): The short answer to the question is yes.

Ms KEALY (Lowan) (14:29): Despite overwhelming public opposition, in July the Ballarat Health Services, Wimmera Health Care Group, Stawell Regional Health and Edenhope & District Memorial Hospital announced that they will be amalgamating. Will the Premier rule out any further local hospital amalgamations?

Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (14:29): Just so I am clear: the member is opposed to hospitals which are run by boards from local communities making decisions about health service provision in those local communities? I will tell you what: we will give to local hospital boards and their communities more say than the communities of Koroit, Macarthur, Clunes, Beeac, Birregurra—and there are more—all of whom are regional communities who lost their hospitals under those opposite. I do not think you were doing too many community forums. There was none of your so-called consultation when you shut those hospitals down. Fancy lecturing; of all people—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! When the house comes to order, the member for Lowan on a point of order.

Ms Allan interjected.

The SPEAKER: Without the Leader of the House’s assistance.

Ms Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, question time is not an opportunity to attack the opposition. This question is specific about amalgamations that the government said they would not do and which are now occurring in my electorate. Will the Premier rule out further amalgamations across the state?

The SPEAKER: Order! I heard the question. The Premier is being relevant to the question that has been asked.

Mr ANDREWS: Unlike some, I have had the great honour and privilege of visiting just about every health service in this state, and I usually come along with additional funding, additional support. I never went to a hospital and said, ‘By the way, if it’s okay with you, but frankly I don’t really care what you think, I’m shutting you down’. We will not be lectured to by the National Party on any matter, and certainly not by the likes of you.