Simon Ramsay has let the cat out of the bag, making clear the Liberals have grubby plans to take an axe to hospital funding and cut more hard-working health care staff.
In a gravely concerning statement, the Liberals have condemned the news that Geelong Private Hospital workers will be offered new positions in Victoria’s growing public health service, including at Barwon Health, following the announcement Geelong Private will close.
It seems everyone but the Liberals are pleased to see our valued nurses, allied health and administrative staff find the new opportunities they deserve.
The Liberals have made clear what we all suspected: they want to axe the jobs of hard-working health workers and they want to cut our public health system.
Geelong Private Hospital is closing because the Liberals broke a promise to build another public hospital for Geelong and threw a third private hospital into the mix. They need to come clean and tell Victorians what other hospitals they plan to privatise – or shut altogether.
The Liberals are too busy looking at hospitals to close or privatise to notice that Barwon Health is growing like never before – and we need more hard-working men and women to deliver the health services that Geelong families deserve.
The Liberals say the new positions for Geelong Private Hospital workers “indicates that this Government is happy to add 117 additional wages to its Public Service costs”.
And they're right - the Andrews Labor Government is proud to stand with our dedicated nurses and health care workforce and let them do what they do best – provide first class treatment and care to Victorians when they need it.
You can’t trust the Liberals when it comes to health care – all they do is cut.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“The Liberals’ plan for hospitals and health across Victoria is now crystal clear – cuts, closures and privatisations.”
“We are proud to find work for these valued nurses and allied health staff in the public health system in Geelong. We’ll never abandon them like the Liberals will.”
Quote attributable to Member for Geelong Christine Couzens
“Simon Ramsay has let the cat out of the bag: He doesn’t stand with our hard-working hospital staff and he wants to see our community’s health care services gutted.”
Quote attributable to Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville
“The Geelong Private Hospital is closing because the Liberals broke a promise to build a second public hospital for Geelong and instead threw a third private provider into the market.”
Quote attributable to Member for Lara John Eren
"The Liberals have confirmed what we knew all along. They want to short change our health care, privatise our hospitals and cut jobs – and it's patients who will suffer."
Reviewed 19 August 2020