Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just over a week ago, I had the privilege of visiting the Northern Health Epping campus, the Northern Hospital site, with my great friend the member for McEwen, Rob Mitchell, and the member for Ballarat, Labor's health spokesperson. Together we engaged with local stakeholders to talk about the state of community health services and health infrastructure in the growing communities of Melbourne's north and, in particular, the electorate of Scullin and of course the neighbouring electorate of McEwen.

During our visit we were able to tour the new three-storey wing of the Northern Hospital that is presently under construction, which will provide an additional 32 in-patient beds at the Northern but also, importantly, allow additional capacity for further expansion for surgical and intensive-care-unit beds.

We were also able—and this was particularly exciting for me—to see the benefits that are being realised at the Northern Centre for Health Education and Research. This was a Labor initiative, and I was very privileged to attend its sod-turning as the Labor candidate for Scullin with Minister Plibersek. This facility has enabled Northern Health to train an additional 700 health professionals in Melbourne's north. More graduates across all areas who are now wanting work and continuing to build careers in health in the northern suburbs are selecting placements at the Northern. This deals with a long-running professional health workforce shortage, so it is fantastic to see for the growing communities of Melbourne's north.

This was a great opportunity to show off to Labor's health spokesperson what this is doing for outer-suburban health care. While investment and infrastructure are critical elements of building and maintaining an effective, world-class healthcare system, consultation and listening to the lived experience of workers on the ground is also key. That is why I brought along the shadow minister—to consult with the key stakeholders in Melbourne's outer northern suburbs, including Phillip Bain, CEO of Plenty Valley Community Health; Mary Agostino and Russell Hopkins from the City of Whittlesea; Siva Sivarajah and Colin Sussman from Northern Health; Jemal Ahmet from Whittlesea Community Connections; Helen Riseborough from Women's Health in the North; and Max Lee from the Hume Whittlesea Primary Care Partnership.

I was really interested in bringing together these people to share with the shadow minister for health how important local partnerships have been not only in engaging with the complex needs of a rapidly growing, culturally and linguistically diverse community but also in ensuring that the best primary health care can be delivered through breaking down silos. I think these conversations will lead to more effective healthcare delivery under a future Labor government as well as build better understanding of the respective roles of local, state and federal government in building and maintaining healthy communities. I thank all involved for their efforts in sharing their experiences and enabling me to better represent the communities of Melbourne's north.