Two forums in Bendigo today have highlighted escalating challenges in aged care and freight transport in regional Victoria.
The Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad and Senator Bridget McKenzie hosted local residents and key stakeholders from both fields.
Ms Broad said she was very concerned that aged care patients were being ‘stuck’ in acute care beds because there were not enough residential aged care places available.
“At the forum, we were told that at times, up to 50 patients remain at Bendigo Hospital awaiting aged care placement. These patients are medically ready for discharge but cannot leave due to a lack of residential care options.
“This creates a backlog in the acute system that can flow through to delays and ambulance ramping as patients wait for beds to become available.”
Ms Broad said the Liberal and Nationals’ plan to address the health crisis included:
SurgerySooner Plan: A $1.27 billion program over four years to purchase 25,000 additional procedures a year (100,000 total) from more than 100 private hospitals and day surgeries to help halve the state’s elective surgery waitlist.
Patient Transit Lounge Fund: A $99 million commitment to establish or expand up to 10 patient transit lounges at high-priority hospitals to free up inpatient beds, cut emergency department wait times, and reduce ambulance ramping.
Youth Mental Health: A $5 million pledge to master-plan a new standalone Parkville youth mental health facility featuring 50 specialist inpatient beds for ages 12–25, alongside an independent review into the implementation of the mental health royal commission.
Regional & Staffing Pledges: Offering $10,000 incentives (plus an additional $10,000 for each subsequent year) for health workers living regionally.
Senator McKenzie, who is the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport as well as the Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories said there were key problems in the freight transport sector as well.
“We are hearing that rising fuel costs, damage from unsafe roads and payroll tax are making the road freight industry suffer,” Senator McKenzie said.
“Our transport and freight sector are already facing severe pressure from the government’s high inflation pushing up input costs and squeezing already tight margins.”
Under the Labor Government, regional Victoria receives just 12 per cent of infrastructure funding despite making up 25 per cent of the state’s population.
“The Nationals in government will ensure Bendigo and all of regional Victoria will receive 25 per cent of infrastructure to ensure it gets its fair share,” Ms Broad said.
