Questions without notice and ministers statements
Health funding
Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:05): (797) My question is for the Treasurer. Treasurer, will you rule out the government applying a private health insurance levy or tax on hardworking Victorians to pay for shortfalls in the state health budget – yes or no?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:06): I thank Ms Crozier for the question and the opportunity to talk about the unprecedented investment in the Victorian health system under the Labor government. The people will recall in last year’s budget the budget speech, for example, calls out the number of doctors that have increased under this government, the support for nurses and the support for all hospitals coming out of the pandemic. We are a government that back our health workforce again and again to ensure that Victorians can get the health care that they need where they need it. Just this morning the Premier and the Minister for Health were out at the Royal Melbourne Hospital talking about nurse-to-patient ratios in the sector and talking to emergency department nurses about the support that they need to do what is just one of the hardest jobs that you could possibly do. Ms Crozier, our government will always support the health sector. We will always fund hospitals. I will have more to say about specifics of the budget as we unveil the budget.
Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:07): I note the minister refused to answer that very simple question about ruling out another levy or tax to hardworking Victorians. Treasurer, given the dire state of the Victorian budget and the lack of detail around how the government’s hospital mergers and networks will be funded, will Victorians see an increase to the more than 50 new or increased taxes applied under Labor to fund the hospital amalgamations and new networks that are being formed?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:07): Ms Crozier, I can confirm my answer that I gave you previously. This is a government that will always fund health. We will always put the priorities of the Victorian community first, and they have spoken: health is the number one priority for many, many Victorians, and we back that with continued investment.
Georgie Crozier interjected.
Jaclyn SYMES: I am not going to stand here every question time ruling in and ruling out things that you are putting to me. The budget process is underway. It is my core focus. I will not be preparing the budget in this chamber.