Liberal Candidate for Euroa Brad Hearn said he will fight for more regional health funding.
Mr Hearn recently met with shadow Minister for Health Georgie Crozier to discuss regional and rural health concerns in the heart of country Victoria.
“The fight for healthcare and services close to home that don’t break the household budget are essential to healthy country life,” Mr Hearn said.
During their visit the pair spoke about topics including youth mental health service, urgent care and hospital services, dialysis and cancer treatment.
“We are committed to seeing positive change for the rural parts of our state,” Mr Hearn said.
“Country Victoria need a strong voice to ensure that we get the infrastructure and health services that our communities need.
“That is my promise. To fight for our towns and make sure our healthcare system can thrive, not reduce services, or close down, like we have been seeing for the last decade.”
Ms Crozier said if elected the Liberal party would rebuild Victoria’s health system while protecting Victorians from additional taxes and cost-of-living pressures.
“A Liberals Government will shelve Daniel Andrews’ $34.5 billion rail line from Cheltenham to Box Hill and re-prioritise every single cent of that funding into fixing our health system,” Ms Crozier said.
“We will support the mental health of young Victorians by placing a mental health professional in every Victorian school.”
Mr Hearn said this was something our education system desperately needed.
“When educators and health professionals can work together daily in the same space we can begin to address the enormous impact that COVID has had on young Victorians,” Mr Hearn said.
“(Then we can) begin to protect our young people from the decades of impact that was caused by missed schooling.
“We should be working together to protect our kids and preventing mental health crisis in our young people.
“We have direct actions to fix the health crisis in Country Victoria and we have the funds to see that it is done.”
Mr Hearn questioned election promises from Nationals candidate for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, who recently spoke about advocating for access to dialysis treatment in Benalla.
“It is a disappointing business, politics, when those in positions of power do not do what they say they will do,” Mr Hearn said.
“I spoke with the Shadow Minister for Health for the coalition on Sunday (September 11).
“She had seen no such requests for support for dialysis in our town or any advocacy on the matter.
“When fighting for a cause you need to bring it to the Ministers responsible for a portfolio and present your case.
“It is shameful that someone would pray on popular members of our community and exploit them for political gain without substance to their conviction.
“The truth is that we need actions not plans and falsehoods.
“Rather than a shameless picture in the paper, I recommend to all candidates to do the work. That’s what I will do.
“Approach both sides of parliament to ensure that we get actions here in our home.
“That we get action on funding, action on services and action on infrastructure. We need our fair share but that will take work not sensationalism and mistruth.
“I can proudly say that after our conversation about the health needs for the seat of Euroa that Benalla dialysis services is now on the agenda for the coalition and current costings are being documented for a report to be presented to the treasurer and Shadow Health Minister.
“The truth is our healthcare across this seat is some of the worst in the state because of poor advocacy.
“In some shires they do not have public health options only private urgent-care facilities.
“The sad truth that has been communicated to me by the community is that some of our bush hospitals are looking at reducing their services or ultimately closure all together due to increased costs. This is not good enough.”
Mr Hearn said his conversation with Ms Crozier had put Euroa on the map for improved healthcare services.
“We are committed to pivoting $35 billion from a metro train line and put all that money into Victorian health,” he said.
“I will ensure that our share of this money will come into fixing rural healthcare services in our towns.
“Country communities deserve the same respect as the city and I will ensure that a Liberal Government will deliver for our country towns.”