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‘GOVT WANTS TO KEEP IT SECRET’
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■ Northern Victoria MLC Wendy Lovell says the State Government has wanted to keep Goulburn Valley Health funding matters secret, so the public would not discover broken promises. “Goulburn Valley Health stage 2 has completely missed out on funding under this Government,” Ms Lovell told the Legislative Council, whilst criticising the Allan Labor Government’s budget. “In fact they are now saying the hospital is complete, and they have only done stage 1. “We know there is more to be done at Goulburn Valley Health. I have an FOI [Freedom of Information request] in for information on this, but of course the Government is frustrating that at every opportunity and has actually taken me to VCAT over that FOI. “Even though the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner ordered information to be released, the Government have now taken it to VCAT to keep that information secret, because they know that information would show the desperate need for the redevelopment of Goulburn Valley Health and the stage 2 project. “They want to keep that secret because they do not want to be under pressure to have to fund it,” Ms Lovell said. Goulburn Valley Health was speculated to be the regional authority to supervise administration of Seymour Health, and possibly hospitals at Mansfield, Alexandra and Yea. Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas and Premier Jacinta Allan have backed away from the idea of hospital amalgamations, but observers believe they will try to merge back-office operations across the region, in a bid to cut costs across the state. Ms Lovell said: “The education cuts in the budget – $79 million was cut out of early education and care. This is a shocking cut because, as we all know, early education and care is the area where we can make the biggest difference to a child’s life. “Ninety-five per cent of your brain is developed by the time you are six, by the time you start school. We need to be doing as much as we possibly can in those first early years to make sure that children do have the best opportunity to get their best outcomes in life. “The early parenting centre in Shepparton – the timeline for delivery of that was delayed until 2026, so construction has not even started on that yet. “We also saw Labor fail to fund 29 schools that they promised to upgrade across Victoria. Of those 29 schools that failed to get funding, four of them were in my electorate. There was the Broadford Primary School, Hazel Glen Col-
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● Wendy Lovell MLC lege in Doreen, Wangaratta High School and also the White Hills Primary School, which is in the Premier’s own electorate. “So once again we see the Premier not delivering for her own electorate. The White Hills Primary School was promised funding, they got nothing. The Epsom Primary School, which needs a safer drop-off and pick-up point at their school, got nothing for that. “The Premier is ignoring her own electorate just as she is ignoring the rest of Victoria. That is a real shame. “Other projects that missed out in my electorate included the Shepparton sports and events centre. Now the council have rescoped that to a smaller project in the hope of being able to attract funding from the state and federal governments, but good luck to them, because this is the Labor Party and they do not care about our area. “Stage 1 of the Shepparton bypass, which is so desperately needed, did not get funding, nor did stage 2 of Goulburn Valley Health, as I have already said. “A school crossing at Kialla West, where six years ago on September 10 a family were so badly injured that one of the children is still undergoing care and treatment for those injuries today – nothing has been done to upgrade that school crossing and make it safer, despite persistent advocacy from me and even from Suzanna Sheed and of course advocacy from Kim O’Keeffe as well. “The Rochester pool – we heard about that in April when we were in Campaspe sitting – there is nothing in the budget to upgrade that,” Ms Lovell said.