Health system exposed

Neville Mcintyre, Mckenzie Creek

The Victorian healthcare system was in crisis well before the COVID pandemic began. Now, more than two years later, we have seen elective surgery waitlists balloon to more than 87,000 people – with a record number of people waiting to see specialists. Ambulance Victoria is regularly plunged into Code Red, and fewer than 60 percent of patients who attended an Emergency Department in the past three months were treated in the recommended time.

Daniel Andrews has been Victoria’s Premier or Health Minister for 11 of the past 15 years. This is not a healthcare crisis caused by COVID – it has merely exposed how fragile our health system has been with Daniel Andrews at the helm.

Labor had eight years to improve healthcare in our communities, yet it has chosen to slowly dismantle it with $2-billion of funding cut this year compared with 2021.

To date, Liberals and The Nationals have committed more than $1.5 billion to bring regional Victorian hospitals up to date.

This includes upgrades at St Arnaud, as well as brand-new hospitals in West Gippsland, Mildura and Albury-wodonga, with more announcements to come.

Healthcare professionals across Victoria have been abandoned by Daniel Andrews. Which is why under a Liberal and Nationals government more than 260,000 Victorian health workers will be eligible for free travel across all metropolitan and V-line public transport services 365 days a year until November 2026. Emma Kealy, Member for Lowan and deputy leader, The Nationals