Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Whilst speaking on health, it's very important that I raise the situation of one of my local constituents, Michael, who's 35 and from Lilydale. Michael was a self-employed electrician who, in the height of Victoria's pandemic lockdowns, was required to get vaccinated due to his job requirements to enter people's homes. After consultation with his doctor, it was decided that it was safe for Michael to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. Tragically, this resulted in permanent life-altering myocarditis and pericarditis, which have been diagnosed by Michael's specialist. This has taken Michael's ability to work, causing significant financial difficulties, instability and great anxiety about what the future holds. Why is it the case that those who received the AstraZeneca vaccine continue to be barred from accessing compensation under the COVID-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme? I've met with Michael, and I've made representations to the minister about his case. When you see how this situation has had a devastating impact on Michael and his family, you know there is more that we need to do. It's time that the government look to support those with vaccine injuries.

When we look at motions by those opposite, the wording is always very careful and you've got to look at the detail. They talk a big game on Medicare and on health, but, when you look at this motion, there's something that's very important to our health system that's not referenced: bulk billing. Bulk billing is not referenced at all in this motion. The reason is that bulk billing is down 11 per cent since this government came to power, four per cent in the last 12 months. They talk about health, but the numbers show that they're not delivering when it comes to the health system.

They're talking also about the Medicare urgent-care clinics which appear to be making a difference. I know that, in my community of Casey, which covers 2½ thousand square kilometres, we don't have a hospital and we don't have an emergency department. We've only got seven bulk-billing clinics in our community, and we need a Medicare urgent-care clinic so that my community can have access to the health care that they deserve. It's why we've been running a campaign with a petition calling on the government to not play politics, but to deliver for communities. Twenty-nine new clinics were announced in the last budget, but the government haven't announced the locations. I do note they've announced a few locations and, miraculously, all those locations seem to be in Labor held seats. So I'll be watching with interest to see the rest of those 29 Medicare urgent-care clinics delivered. It will be a test of whether this government is genuine about the health care of everyone in the community or just those in Labor-held seats.

It's also interesting that, in this motion, those opposite talk about expanding free mental health services. They didn't do that in my community. This government closed down and pulled the funding for the Lilydale Youth Hub—an investment from the former coalition government to help young people with a drop-in centre and by giving them the mental health services and supports they needed. Despite it delivering significant results and benefits for our community and despite a community campaign, the Albanese Labor government ripped that funding and ripped that youth hub from our community. So it's pretty galling when they talk about expanding mental health services. It's not just Casey that has been abandoned when it comes to mental health services. This government cut the number of free Medicare mental health services from 20 sessions to 10 sessions—they cut the number half. The member for Macnamara had the courage to come out and criticise the government for that decision, and I commend him for that. They cut the number in half despite the Better Health Initiative report finding that it should stay at 20. The sessions were expanded from 10 to 20 under the coalition during COVID. This government made the heartless decision to cut the number in half. If you need help and if you need mental health support, you get 10 sessions; you don't get the 20 sessions that you need, unless you've got the money.

They talk a big game on health and mental health, but the reality and the facts show that they are abandoning the people of Casey and the nation when it comes to health.

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