Damning evidence at the Victorian Parliament’s Pandemic Inquiry hearings this afternoon has revealed the full extent of Daniel Andrews’ lockdowns on Victorians in palliative care.
Palliative Care Victoria has today detailed that important support was neglected throughout the pandemic, and Labor’s lockdowns and pandemic management has taken us back 10-15 years in the delivery of quality care.
The hearings also found that across metropolitan Melbourne, there was up to a 63 per cent increase in demand for community palliative care.
In 2017, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews promised he would support Victorians with whatever end of life choice they make and promised to support palliative care services. We now know that is not the case around the state.
Prior to the pandemic, Department of Health documents revealed funding cuts up to 18.3 per cent for Banksia Palliative Care Service, Eastern Palliative Care Association, Mercy Palliative Care, South East Palliative Care, Peninsula Home Hospice and the Goulburn Valley Hospice Care Service.
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier said the testimony was damning evidence against Daniel Andrews who promised support for Victorians in palliative care but then failed to deliver.
“The heartbreaking evidence today acts as a reminder that Labor’s lockdowns and government decisions failed to take into account the mental health toll and healthcare that Victorians deserved.
“To lose more than a decade of quality care because of Labor’s pandemic lockdowns, the longest lockdown in the world, is devasting for a key service in Victoria’s health sector.
“Victorians deserve a government that will recover and rebuild our palliative care sector and that’s exactly what a Liberals and Nationals Government will do.”
Georgie Crozier MP
Shadow Minister for Health