In a remarkable morning at Public Accounts and Estimates (PAEC) hearings, it was revealed that key health figures in the Andrews Labor Government’s latest State Budget were wrong.
Department of Health officials confirmed it had underreported the total number of months Victorians were waiting for dental care and overreported actual patient treatments.
With more than 151,000 Victorians waiting for general dental care as of December 2021, the Andrews Labor Government was caught red-handed manipulating the figures, as well as cutting a further $24 million from dental services next year.
With more than $3.5 billion in health funding incorrectly allocated, a further $1.5 billion not actually funded, incorrect health data and confirmation of cuts in the health system, Daniel Andrews’ deceitfully touted $12 billion health budget has been exposed for the lie that it is.
Departmental officials were questioned on the more than $2 billion in health cuts to its operating budget, and why Barwon Women’s and Children’s Hospital and Melton Hospital didn’t have a cent of funding allocated toward building the projects.
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, said Daniel Andrews’ budget deception should be a concern for all Victorians.
“At a time when Victoria is in the middle of a health and triple-zero crisis, a shadow mental health pandemic and the closure of regional health services, why on earth would the Government cut $2 billion from the health budget?” Ms Crozier said.
“Daniel Andrews talked a big game, but when Victorians read the fine print, Labor’s health cuts in this budget are exposed.
“Victorians know that the man who got us into this health crisis is not the man to get us out of it.”
