Aldred continues hospital fight

Healthcare should never be a "postcode lottery," according to Member for Monash Mary Aldred.
Taking the fight for a new West Gippsland Hospital to Canberra last week, Ms Aldred told parliament the people of Baw Baw Shire and beyond deserved better than a century-old hospital struggling to keep up with demands of a rapidly growing community.
"I passionately believe that healthcare should never be a postcode lottery," she said. "But, under state and federal Labor governments, it is."
Ms Aldred said the state Labor government had promised new hospital works would begin in 2023, but no detail of funding or even a draft plan had been put before the Monash community.
"They can't turn a sod on a new hospital for West Gippsland, but they can shovel billions of taxpayers' money into a bottomless pit of waste and mismanagement."
Ms Aldred also strongly criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his letter to state and territory leaders demanding they rein in hospital spending.
"Don't fund essential new infrastructure - the likes of the West Gippsland Hospital - was the message coming from the Prime Minister to the state premiers," she said.
Labelling the hospital as "sewn into the fabric of our community", Ms Aldred praised the incredible nursing, medical and administrative staff working under stretched resources in a building no longer fit for purpose.
"I put a new hospital for West Gippsland as the number one priority in the Committee for Gippsland's first strategic plan back in 2011, and I've been fighting for a new West Gippsland hospital ever since," Ms Aldred said.