Many people contact me about the Mildura Base Hospital, and as federal Shadow Minister for Regional Health with close connections in local healthcare, I have been passionately advocating ever since I got elected to ensure we get the local healthcare we deserve.

I have worked with the state Member for Mildura Jade Benham, meeting with local health and community representatives on this very important issue. Jade and I have been speaking with the key stakeholders, and advocating with them to get the outcomes Mildura needs.

I am thrilled to see a strong commitment from the Victorian Liberal-Nationals Coalition on Friday for $180 million – if elected to government – to expand Mildura Base Public Hospital’s emergency department with 18 beds, plus 30 new acute care beds, and 80 rooms to help recruit and retain staff, graduates and students on clinical placements – and more.

People come to my office about healthcare as there is some understandable confusion who is responsible.  The Commonwealth is constitutionally responsible for Medicare, that is, primary care – keeping people out of hospital – and various preventative and emergency procedures.  Victoria is responsible for running hospitals.  The complicating factor is that for years the Commonwealth has given immense money to States to help with the hospital operations (not infrastructure).  This financial year alone the Commonwealth is giving over $8 billion to Victoria in operational hospital funding. One of my many criticisms of the Victorian Labor Government is that we don’t see that money spent in Mildura.  Labor prioritises their political ‘red zone’ priorities, take for instance Bendigo, which is much closer to Melbourne. Bendigo has received over $690 million in state hospital infrastructure spending, versus just tens of millions in Mildura.  It is a disgrace.

Labor also wastes Commonwealth money on bureaucracies – not doctors, nurses, surgeons and healthcare professionals.

Sunraysia residents feel invisible to the Labor government and through the constant advocacy of Jade Benham MP, myself and The Nationals for Regional Victoria, Sunraysia is seen, heard and respected.

We don’t want sympathy from government, we want action – and I commend the Victorian Liberal-Nationals Opposition for doing just that.