ID :
172967
Mon, 04/04/2011 - 14:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/172967
The shortlink copeid
Hospitals shortchanged under Vic govt plan
The Victorian government plans to short-change the Monash Children's Centre by $190 million, Labor says documents it has obtained reveal.
But the government argues it will meet all of its health commitments.
The draft health policy, prepared by the coalition before the state election but never released, shows the now government's policy is to underfund four hospitals - the Monash Children's Centre, Royal Eye and Ear Hospital, Box Hill Hospital and Bendigo Hospital - by hundreds of millions of dollars.
Labor says the draft coalition health plan was left in the offices of the former opposition after the election.
Premier Ted Baillieu says he has not seen the draft health plan and doubts the documents were left behind by the coalition during the swap from opposition to government.
"When you're in opposition you have lots of ideas and you work through them," he told reporters.
During the campaign, the coalition promised to match Labor's $250 million promise to build the Monash Children's Centre in Clayton.
But the health plan shows the government intends to spend only $60 million on the centre over the next four years.
There would still be $190 million left in remaining expenditure as of July 2015.
Last November, the coalition also committed an extra $40 million to the Box Hill Hospital redevelopment in Melbourne's east, on top of the $407.5 million promised by Labor.
The draft documents say the coalition plans to spend only $20 million on the hospital in its first term.
Only $21 million is earmarked for the Bendigo Hospital over the next four years, leaving $81 million to spend, while just $40 million of the $160 million needed to upgrade the Royal Eye and Ear Hospital has been allocated.
Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews says Mr Baillieu and Health Minister David Davis owe Victorians an explanation.
"This is not a plan, it's a litany, a merry-go-round of black holes, fudge and frauds," he told reporters on Monday.
"These sketchy and, I think, very much underdone health plans, which they had hoped to keep secret, are now out there for everyone to see and they speak volumes."
The coalition has committed to spending $60 million on the Monash Children's Centre over the next four years and to provide the remaining $190 million in its second term.
"We made all of our commitments very clear and they were tied to the Health and Hospital Infrastructure Fund, which is over two terms," Mr Baillieu said.
The Monash Children's Centre would service more than 330,000 children living in Melbourne's southeastern growth corridor.
But the government argues it will meet all of its health commitments.
The draft health policy, prepared by the coalition before the state election but never released, shows the now government's policy is to underfund four hospitals - the Monash Children's Centre, Royal Eye and Ear Hospital, Box Hill Hospital and Bendigo Hospital - by hundreds of millions of dollars.
Labor says the draft coalition health plan was left in the offices of the former opposition after the election.
Premier Ted Baillieu says he has not seen the draft health plan and doubts the documents were left behind by the coalition during the swap from opposition to government.
"When you're in opposition you have lots of ideas and you work through them," he told reporters.
During the campaign, the coalition promised to match Labor's $250 million promise to build the Monash Children's Centre in Clayton.
But the health plan shows the government intends to spend only $60 million on the centre over the next four years.
There would still be $190 million left in remaining expenditure as of July 2015.
Last November, the coalition also committed an extra $40 million to the Box Hill Hospital redevelopment in Melbourne's east, on top of the $407.5 million promised by Labor.
The draft documents say the coalition plans to spend only $20 million on the hospital in its first term.
Only $21 million is earmarked for the Bendigo Hospital over the next four years, leaving $81 million to spend, while just $40 million of the $160 million needed to upgrade the Royal Eye and Ear Hospital has been allocated.
Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews says Mr Baillieu and Health Minister David Davis owe Victorians an explanation.
"This is not a plan, it's a litany, a merry-go-round of black holes, fudge and frauds," he told reporters on Monday.
"These sketchy and, I think, very much underdone health plans, which they had hoped to keep secret, are now out there for everyone to see and they speak volumes."
The coalition has committed to spending $60 million on the Monash Children's Centre over the next four years and to provide the remaining $190 million in its second term.
"We made all of our commitments very clear and they were tied to the Health and Hospital Infrastructure Fund, which is over two terms," Mr Baillieu said.
The Monash Children's Centre would service more than 330,000 children living in Melbourne's southeastern growth corridor.
