Thursday, 6 February 2025

Ministers statements: healthcare workforce

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:26): I rise to update the house on how the Allan Labor government continues to champion our frontline healthcare workers. On this side of the house we respect our healthcare workers and we support them to deliver expert care to all Victorians. That is why we have grown Victoria’s public healthcare workforce by almost 50 per cent over the last decade. That means that today there are more than 40,000 additional doctors, nurses and allied healthcare workers all working in Victoria’s world-class public healthcare system.

The Allan Labor government back these workers in, ensuring that they have fair working conditions and that they receive the pay that they deserve. That is why I was so pleased that we were able to reach a historic deal with our nurses and midwives, delivering a massive 28 per cent pay rise that recognises the historic undervaluing of this largely feminised workforce. In more good news, I am pleased that our paramedics have overwhelmingly supported the latest agreement with Ambulance Victoria.

On this side of the house we respect the expertise, the qualifications, the experience and the operational know-how of our frontline workers. On this side of the house we will never be interfering in operational or clinical decisions. These are decisions that are left to those with the expertise, the experience and the qualifications. We would never, ever put politics before patients. Unfortunately and alarmingly, it would seem that the same cannot be said for those on the other side of the house following yesterday’s –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Lowan will come to order. I could not hear the Minister for Health. I ask members to come to order.

Bridget Vallence: I could. On a point of order, Speaker, the Minister for Health was attacking the opposition. A ministers statement is not an opportunity to attack the opposition.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: Speaker, on the point of order, there is no point of order. I have been talking exclusively about the work of the Allan Labor government, and only now, with 10 seconds left, am I seeking to compare and contrast what our government does with what those on the other side would do.

The SPEAKER: I do not uphold the point of order.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: The same cannot be said of those on the other side of the house following yesterday’s absolutely disgraceful attack on the operational expertise of our healthcare workers.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Lowan is warned. The Leader of the House is warned.