Bad noise

THE Victorian Labor Opposition has been making a lot of noise recently about funding cuts to Victoria’s hospitals.
Daniel Andrews should be embarrassed because the figures he is quoting are the cuts that the Rudd and Gillard governments wanted to make to our hospitals. Even worse, when the Gillard and Rudd governments wanted to rip $475 million from Victorian hospitals, Daniel Andrews’ party actually voted to support it.
In other words, the Leader of the Opposition put his loyalty to his Labor mates in Canberra before the welfare of Victorian patients.
It was the Victorian Coalition Government that fought these Labor cuts. Fortunately we got some of that money back, no thanks to Daniel Andrews and his Labor Opposition.
The Coalition Government is investing a record $14.3 billion in our health system, which is $2 billion more than Labor did in its last year of office. We are also spending more than $4.5 billion on health infrastructure.
The Federal Labor Government cut funding to Monash Health by $45.8 million, whereas the Coalition increased funding by $201.2 million.
We have put on an additional 465 paramedics across Victoria, including 140 more in the Metropolitan East region which covers our area, and increased funding for Ambulance Victoria to a record $662 million; an increase of almost $100 million on Labor’s last budget.
There are 10 new ambulance stations across Victoria and there are 10 new MICA single responder ambulances across the state.
I am pleased to be part of the Coalition Government that is putting record funding into Victoria’s health services.
Victoria can’t afford to risk our health system with Daniel Andrews and Labor again.
Brad Battin MP,
Member for Gembrook.