Daniel Andrews is continuing to play politics with health as vital public elective surgery waitlist data remains hidden.
More than a month after the end of the June quarter, the number of Victorians stuck in pain and with their lives on hold awaiting critical surgeries is yet to be made public.
As of March 2022, almost 90,000 Victorians were awaiting surgery, a number now likely higher as several major health providers cancel and further postpone procedures over recent weeks.
The health crisis was not caused by COVID but the result of years of mismanagement and underinvestment of Victoria’s health system under Daniel Andrews.
Prior to the pandemic, a then record 50,000 Victorians were on the elective surgery waitlist as the Andrews Labor Government provided the lowest level of funding to Victorian hospitals out of any state in the nation.
Now, as Victoria’s health system falls further into crisis – Daniel Andrews has cut more than $2 billion from the health budget.
Furthermore, a recent minority report by the Victorian Parliament’s Pandemic Declaration Accountability and Oversight Committee found “the committee heard examples of a failure by the government to plan for the ongoing management of elective surgery wait lists” and recommended “while pandemic orders are in operation, the Andrews Labor Government provides weekly updates on elective surgery waitlists per health network”.
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, called on Daniel Andrews to stop playing politics with people’s health and release the data today.
“Politics, spin and cover-ups won’t fix the health crisis. Victorian’s need real solutions to cut the surgery waitlist and give people the care they deserve.”
“This data was ready a month ago – how long does it take to tell us the truth?”
“Daniel Andrews has run Victoria’s health system as Premier or Minister for 11 of the last 15 years, this crisis is on his hands.”
“Remember this November, the person who created the health crisis is not the one to fix it. Only a change of government will end Labor’s health crisis.”
