State government slammed for failure to attend community forum on Limestone Coast radiation treatment centre

The state government has been slammed after not a single invited Minister appeared at a packed community forum advocating for a regional radiation treatment centre.

Icon Cancer Centre Hobart: Linear accelerator in the radiation treatment bunker. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Hundreds of South-East residents have been left fuming with not a single Labor state government representative attending a community forum advocating for Limestone Coast radiation treatment centre.

A lack of a South-East radiation service means residents are forced to travel either five hours to Adelaide or four hours round trip to Warrnambool for radiation treatment.

The forum consisted of a Q&A with panellist including opposition leader David Spiers, breast cancer survivor Michelle Riley and radiation industry experts.

Premier Peter Malinauskas, Health Minister Chris Picton and Regional Development Minister Clare Scriven all declined to join the panel or attend the event as an audience member.

Ben Hood, who replaced Stephen Wade in the Upper House, was critical the state government “couldn’t be bothered” to make it to Mount Gambier for the event.

“I was very surprised Clare wasn’t a representative — Clare lives here in the region,” he said.

Over a hundred South-East residents turned up to a community forum and Q&A over the controversial Limestone Coast Radiation Treatment Centre development. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Minsters Picton and Scriven told The Advertiser scheduling conflicts made it impossible for either of them to attend the event.

Ms Scriven a South-East resident, had committed to being in Adelaide early Wednesday morning for an announcement with the Premier at the opening of the trans-Tasman Rock Lobster Conference.

It is understood Mr Malinauskas was on leave with his family, returning to work on Wednesday.

Mr Picton slammed critics from the Liberal Party who were “forgetting that it was during their term” project was initially “rejected”.

Limestone Coast Local Health Network acting chief executive Angela Miller and deputy board chair Lindy Cook declined to join the panel, but were in attendance.

“(We) were present at the forum on Tuesday evening to learn from the community and listen to experts in the delivery of radiation treatment and those with lived experience, who have received treatment themselves,” Ms Miller said.

Panellist discussed a number of topics with the audience such as projected staffing requirements, ongoing cost requirements and estimated figures on how many patients could use the service.

South-East residents have been fiercely campaigning for the service — bringing a petition with 16,000 physical signatures to parliament in May.

A further 4,000 signatures were collected online.

However, they did not count towards the official tally as South Australia still does not allow for online signatures to be presented.

Lachlan Haynes the Chair of The Radiation Working Group Limestone Coast out front of Parliament House with supporters and Liberal politicians and the 16000 signatures for a South East radiation treatment centre. Picture Mark Brake

The petition has triggered the Legislative Review Committee, which is required to investigate the matter and report back to both houses.

The committee has started to take evidence from key stakeholders, but it is unclear when the committee will table their findings to parliament.

The LCLHN is also running an $80,000 feasibility study into the proposal despite having already diverted the $4.3m federal money — that had initially been earmarked for the creation of regional radiation treatment.

South Australia remains the only state without a regionally based radiation treatment service.

Limestone Coast Local Health Network Chair Grant King previously said the diverted federal funding did not spell the end for a South-East radiation treatment centre.

Mr King said the LCLHN would work with the state government “to address the necessary funding and implementation options” should the feasibility study support its establishment.

Mr King added the outcome of the study would not be affected by the diverted funds.

The evaluation panel is currently being formed for the procurement process. The feasibility report is due for completion in Autumn 2024.