Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has criticised the Allan Government for failing to address growing public health wait times, accusing the Minister for Health of attempting to gaslight regional Victorians by minimising serious delays as an “inconvenience.”
Ms Benham said a response from the Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, to her request for action relied on statewide averages and future plans, rather than acknowledging the real impact on patients.
“Patients waiting for a specialist appointment at Mildura Base Public Hospital are being told, ‘sorry, there is still a long wait, we are way behind,’” Ms Benham said.
“This is not an inconvenience. People’s health is deteriorating while the government sits on its hands and spins the truth.”
Ms Benham said the Minister’s focus on millions of statewide appointments and median wait times is a deliberate attempt to gaslight regional Victorians, ignoring the added barriers caused by distance, limited services, and workforce shortages.
“The public health system is in crisis. Wait times are worsening, emergency targets are being missed, and thousands of Victorians are left in pain and uncertainty.”
