Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would firstly like to congratulate the Minister for Health and Aged Care for the tremendous job she is doing not only nationally but in the Dunkley electorate. The minister came down to Dunkley electorate twice during my recent campaign and announced several health initiatives for the local community. On home and community care, the minister announced increased funding for a number of local organisations who do wonderful work assisting with mental health issues, health issues, homelessness and other issues. For example, Mentis Assist is an organisation in my electorate, led by Dawn Fisher, the chair, and a wonderful team around her, and they received increased HACC funding, as did Andrew Kerr and the Village Baxter. I would like to congratulation the minister for that increased funding in my electorate, which will really make a difference to people's lives.

Locally in Dunkley as well, the minister for health came down and announced $6 million for MRI services at Frankston Hospital, which will mean a full MBS licence for MRI at the hospital. This will positively impact over 2,000 patients every year. I note that, under the watch of the former Labor government, this licence lapsed at the hospital, so it is a Liberal government offering those services to the local community. That will make an enormous difference to people and patients in my community. Instead of going outside the region or having to pay for access to MRI at the local private hospital, they can receive free MRI services.

In addition, in my electorate $536,000 was committed by the minister for health for Peninsula Home Hospice, which provides home based palliative care in the community. That not only impacts Mornington, where the Peninsula Home Hospice centre is based but it impacts right across the peninsula, the Frankston region and beyond. That is a tremendous announcement, and it is a community-led organisation who will greatly benefit.

The minister for health also increased Headspace funding for Frankston Headspace, through the local PHN. That will mean increased funding for specific and lead-site services to assist in mental health issues, particularly for young people in the community. We really need to assist young people in our community who have mental health issues. As the youngest MP in parliament myself, I am passionate about making a difference to young people in my community.

In addition, the minister for health also committed $5.6 million for ice and drug rehabilitation services in my community. Not only has she committed those several other things that I mentioned but also this will really help those who are dealing with ice and drug use issues locally. As we know, the Turnbull government has committed over $300 million to tackling ice across Australia. I know that not only Frankston is impacted by ice and drug use but communities across Australia are impacted. So I greatly thank the minister for that commitment.

I also note that as the minister has outlined previously the Labor Party is continuing to lie to the Australian public about Medicare. We saw it during my campaign in Dunkley, in particular, but also across Australia where lies and a scare campaign were being spread about Medicare. In fact, Medicare funding is increasing each and every year. Under the Turnbull government, we have made it quite clear that Medicare will never be privatised, so it was quite disgraceful during the campaign to have text messages sent out to constituents that did not have any authorisation or indication to say that they did not come from Medicare. It was also quite disgraceful to see little Medicare cards being handed out and Medicare logos used on billboards and signage throughout my electorate.

The Prime Minister has committed to the fact that Medicare is a core government service that will never be sold. He committed to the fact that every element of Medicare currently delivered by government will continue to be delivered by this government and will increase year to year. We have a very strong record when it comes to Medicare funding and this year we are investing more than $22 billion to Medicare, over $1 billion more than last year. This will increase to nearly $26 billion by 2019-20. We are the party with an economic plan but we are also the party—thanks to the leadership of the minister for health—with a strong health plan.

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