Scott Morrison and the Federal Liberals must rule out another round of savage cuts to Bendigo’s health system, which could see millions of dollars in agreed funding clawed back by Canberra.
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy has written to her Federal counterpart to warn the Federal Liberals against shifting the goal posts and clawing back their fair share of funding to Victoria’s hospitals.
Scott Morrison has form when it comes to short-changing Victorian hospitals. When he was Treasurer, he intervened and interfered with an agreed activity-based funding model that ensures the Commonwealth pays its share.
Mr Morrison’s "audit" meant that services were retrospectively "regraded", and hospitals received less funding from the Commonwealth for services they had already provided, ultimately slashing $104 million from our health service.
Now, a new round of "adjustments" will see the Federal Government immediately claw back $201 million for services already provided by Victorian hospitals over the past three years – and $67 million for every year now on.
In Bendigo, that means $5.74 million will be clawed back immediately, plus $1.9 million each year going forward. That’s the equivalent of 463 hip replacements, 14,877 dialysis procedures or 6889 chemotherapy treatments.
Cuts to health are in the Liberals’ DNA. They cut, close and privatise whenever they get the chance, leaving patients worse off.
The Victorian Liberals cut a billion dollars from health when they were last in office. To make matters worse, Matthew Guy is cheering from the sidelines as Scott Morrison threatens to short change Victorian doctors, nurses and patients once more.
As noted by Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
"Scott Morrison stared down the barrel of a camera and told Victorians he’s on their side. He needs to put his money where his mouth is and keep his hands off our hospitals."
As noted by Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan
"Whether it’s Scott Morrison, Malcolm Turnbull or Matthew Guy here in Victoria, the Liberals can’t help themselves but take an axe to our health system and short-change Bendigo families."
As noted by Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards
"If the Liberals push ahead with plans to claw back millions of dollars from our hospital, every doctor, nurse and patient will suffer."
