Wednesday, 14 August 2024

 Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (17:40): I rise to make a statement on the 2024–25 budget papers, which were tabled here in May. I specifically just want to make a brief contribution to talk about the state budget’s provisions for health care and particularly about our hospitals and how this Labor government continues to invest in our hospital system. In the May state budget $8.8 billion was allocated for our hospitals, a significant amount of funding, which is helping to maintain Victoria’s position as a nationwide leader in delivering outstanding health care to Victorians. In response, obviously, to the increased demand that we are seeing – we know that in the last quarter more than half a million Victorians presented at emergency departments in this state, a record – we are investing an additional $1.5 billion to support our hospitals and deliver world-class care. That is record funding of more than $10 billion all up to ensure that all of our constituents have access to the best hospitals in the country.

I do want to take a brief moment, if I may, to particularly talk about the $118 million that is being invested into the Alfred, funding which will help see the hospital further its life-saving work through upgrades to its operating theatres and intensive care and inpatient units. I was recently not too long ago at the Alfred with our colleague the member for Albert Park, visiting the cardiology ward, seeing the incredible firsthand work undertaken by doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals.

Obviously, in addition to tackling heart disease, we know that tackling cancer is exceptionally important. It is one of the biggest killers of Victorians. More than 30 people die from cancer every day. That is why early diagnosis will be delivered through the new Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre located on the site of the Alfred – $24 million that this budget invests into that centre – by installing a Quadra scanner, meaning that Victorians suffering from types of cancer can have earlier detection, which hopefully helps to boost survival rates, survival rates which are now currently above 70 per cent for both men and women.

There is extra funding of $35 million being put towards upgrading medical equipment across the state, helping operating suites, emergency departments and neonatal and maternity services. There is also funding to unlock additional surgeries, meaning more surgeries can be completed in this financial year, matching last year’s record numbers. Labor delivers for our hospitals. Labor delivers investment in our healthcare system. Labor supports our healthcare workforce. We back our nurses. We back our doctors. We will always stand up for the public healthcare system in this state. We will always invest in the public healthcare system in this state. That is what this latest budget did. That is what this Labor government will continue to do.