Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I had the pleasure of announcing a $700,000 grant, on behalf of the Gillard Labor government, to the Macedon Ranges Shire Council to run programs that encourage and support people to adopt and sustain healthier lifestyles. The project, titled Macedon Ranges Healthy and Active People, aims to improve health outcomes for local residents who are not in the paid workforce and are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing or developing, weight related chronic diseases. The project will assist participants to initiate and sustain behavioural change within the community by engaging residents in effective, ongoing physical activity and healthy eating programs and other activities. The project will include the Heart Foundation's Walking program and AustCycle's national programs. These programs will be complemented by local programs and activities including structured physical activity and healthy lifestyle classes such as Live Well, Be Well, Stay Well; Strength for Health; and Lifeball. There will be support for local planned activity groups, cooking classes and community garden work, and awareness raising about the importance of healthy living. This funding will promote preventative health measures. We know that these measures work, which is why we are funding this fantastic local initiative to encourage people to try out a variety of healthy eating and physical activity programs.

We held the announcement at the Kyneton Toyota Aquatic Centre, in the neighbouring electorate of my good friend the member for Bendigo. This facility was built out of our government's stimulus funding. It is a facility that the community is rightly proud of. The centre hosts an eight-lane, 25-metre lap pool; a warm-water exercise pool offering hydrotherapy classes; a learn-to-swim pool; a fitness centre with state-of-the-art equipment; three squash courts and a sports stadium. With all of these wonderful features and a great group fitness timetable offering a variety of classes, there is something on offer for everyone at this brand-new facility and they invite everyone to come down and enjoy. I was impressed with the building. The new pools and the work on new tennis courts were amongst the main attractions, but so were the opportunities for the community. To better develop healthier communities through programs is something that will have a far-reaching positive impact on the residents of Kyneton and surrounding areas. While I was there I was reminding them that the coalition tell us that the stimulus funding was a waste of money and the facility should never have been built, so the offer was put to the coalition to come down. I invited them to come down and have a look and see this facility and then try to tell the community that this was a waste of money. But I am sure that it has fallen on deaf ears amongst those opposite.

I would like to take this opportunity to put pressure on the Baillieu Liberal government to stick to its election commitment. The Baillieu Liberal government promised it would provide funding of $10 million to the Kilmore and District Hospital if we did. Well, the Gillard government is demonstrating its commitment to my local community by delivering $10 million in our federal budget. Now the Baillieu government has gone into hiding; that is to say it has not delivered, it has not mentioned nor has it committed to this funding. Our funding, the Gillard Labor government's funding, will go to the redevelopment of the theatre suite with a day procedures and recovery unit; the expansion and enhancement of the acute inpatient facility to provide expanded acute care services and to increase the number of acute beds from 30 to 60; and the construction of a new outpatient facility to deliver comprehensive integrated primary health care. Not only will this funding go to improving and strengthening our local healthcare system; it will also provide opportunities for training and development and stimulate our local economy by creating more jobs for locals. I now call on the Baillieu Liberal government and the local Liberal member to live up to their promise and deliver on its commitment of $10 million to assist in funding the expansion of the Kilmore and District Hospital so that people in Kilmore and surrounding areas can enjoy better health care in a hospital that they are fiercely supportive of and fiercely committed to.

House adjourned at 22:29