Labor dodges detail on plan for health cuts, closures and amalgamations

Liberal Party Victoria

Victorians across the state continue to face the prospect of health cuts, closures and forced amalgamations as the Allan Labor Government continues to avoid transparency over a report into the future of Victoria’s health services.

Speaking today before the Parliamentary Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC), Secretary of the Department of Health, Euan Wallace, confirmed his department has received a report into the organisation of Victoria’s 76 health services.

The Secretary failed to rule out that the report contains recommendations to forcibly amalgamate Victorian health services and that no public consultation had taken place.

Furthermore, Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, flagged a sweeping restructure to health services and their financing over the coming financial year.

Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, said: “Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our health system and Victorians are paying the price.

“Labor continues to hide its secret plan to cut, close and amalgamate health services across the state.

“Labor’s priorities are all wrong. The Allan Labor Government can find the money for a $216 billion train line but cannot afford to keep hospitals open and running across the state.”

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