By Natalee Kerr
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten visited Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus on Tuesday afternoon to announce a $90 million investment into local healthcare.
Mr Shorten pledged $50 million for a new women’s and children’s hospital at the former Geelong Private Hospital, matching the coalition’s commitment made last month.
The pledge adds to the Andrews State Government’s previous $100 million investment in the new hospital, reaching a total contribution of $150 million from state and federal Labor.
Mr Shorten also announced $40 million towards the redevelopment of University Hospital Geelong’s Baxter House into an elective surgery centre, if elected at this month’s federal election.
The funding will help upgrade and reopen existing theatres, recovery spaces, lifts and administration areas to provide locals with “quicker access to surgery”, according to Labor.
Mr Shorten said the investments would assist “thousands” of extra patients in the region to ensure they receive medical care “in their own community”.
“Our ongoing commitment (is) to make healthcare and proper funding for hospitals one of the number one issues in this election,” Mr Shorten said.
“We are committed to funding healthcare in this country, we are committed to reversing the cuts to hospitals.”
The latest health funding is the second major pledge by Labor in Richard Marles’ seat of Corio during this election campaign.
Last month Mr Marles also promised to provide $15 million towards the redevelopment of Geelong’s palliative care provider Anam Cara House.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said the announcements were “great” for the people of “Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast”.
“It is a real partnership to provide even better care to the growing number of patients who need that care,” he said.
“We’re going to go from about 2,500 babies born in the Geelong Hospital to more than 4,000.
“The number of people who can get surgery in Geelong will go from 5,500 to 11,000.”
Mr Shorten also condemned an egging incident against Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday in Albury by a 24-year-old woman, labelling the act as “disgraceful”.
“This is not what we do in Australia,” he said.
“If this protester thinks she will get any sympathy or support from me, she couldn’t be more wrong. The Prime Minister has my complete sympathy.”
