Thursday, 20 March 2025

 Annabelle CLEELAND (Euroa) (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Health. Why is the government selling the Royal Women’s Hospital’s vital family accommodation, forcing mums with sick newborns and women needing cancer treatment onto the street?

 Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:34): Firstly, I reject the premise of the question, because the member is wrong on many, many counts in the way in which she has phrased her question. If I can put the facts on the table, let me begin by stating that the Royal Women’s Hospital made a decision last year –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for South-West Coast, could you stand and apologise to the house.

Roma Britnell: I apologise.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: The Royal Women’s Hospital made a decision sometime last year to close a run-down accommodation facility that they had operated, and that closed in October. Since that time the Royal Women’s Hospital, in the way that other major metropolitan hospitals operate, has worked with its patients to meet their individual needs and to ensure that they are able to access other low-cost accommodation options. There are a number of points, again, that are quite incorrect in what the member said, and that is the fact that this was a decision that was made by the Royal Women’s Hospital.

 Annabelle CLEELAND (Euroa) (14:36): The government is offering rural and regional women and their families a $45 per night accommodation allowance under the Victorian patient transport assistance scheme when the average cost of a hotel room last year was $234. The scheme has a massive backlog, with payments taking more than eight months. In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, why is the government forcing rural and regional women to pay for expensive hotels or be denied the care and support they critically need?

 Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:37): I welcome the question from the member for Euroa because it gives me an opportunity again to correct her misunderstanding of exactly what is happening here. The Royal Women’s Hospital works with its patients to meet their individual needs, and that includes accessing low-cost accommodation or other accommodation as that family may need. On the second point can I say that this government has an absolute commitment – one that is opposed by the member for Euroa ‍– to increasing the care that is available for people in rural and regional Victoria through the implementation of our Health Services Plan.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is debating the question. I ask you to ask the minister to come back to the very direct question.

The SPEAKER: Minister for Health, come back to the question.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: As I was saying, our government’s commitment is to actually expanding access for care for women and babies in rural and regional Victoria.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Mildura, I ask you to stand and apologise to the house.

Jade Benham interjected.

The SPEAKER: The member for Mildura can leave the chamber for an hour.

Member for Mildura withdrew from chamber.