Opposition leader John Pesutto asks why Epworth wants to shut its maternity ward
Opposition leader John Pesutto will keep pressure on the state government to deliver vital funds, training and resources for health care and hospital.
Geelong
Don't miss out on the headlines from Geelong. Followed categories will be added to My News.
OPPOSITION Leader John Pesutto says he will keep pressure on the state government to deliver vital funds, training and resources for health care and hospitals.
Mr Pesutto said the possible closure of the Epworth Geelong’s private maternity ward was symptomatic of worker shortages in the industry.
“My concern is more about the reasons why Epworth is looking at doing this,” he said.
“The state government, like other states, has a big role in workforce procurement and attraction and retention.
“I want to see the state government come out and say something about what it’s going to do so that organisations like Epworth don’t struggle to find staff.
“I know it can’t be resolved today, that workforce shortage. But my question is, why was it allowed to get to this point to have maternity services (potentially) shutting when we’re in a growth area?” Mr Pesutto visited Geelong on Tuesday to tour the Avalon employment precinct and meet with management behind a large-scale lithium-ion battery cell production facility due to be built in the area.
He said the government needed to put more work into transmission and distribution of renewable energy after the government indicated it wanted to legislate renewable energy production targets of 65 per cent by 2030 and 95 cent by 2035.
He said the government also needed to provide more detail on how the rebooted State Electricity Commission would function if 49 per cent publicly owned.
Geelong-based Liberal MP Bev McArthur wants nuclear power considered to fill gaps in energy generation, but Mr Pesutto said that wouldn’t be part of the party’s policy platform.
He also wants the government to release the Central Geelong Planning Framework that will be used to set development height and density limits in the CBD. “It’s reflective of a concern we’ve got more broadly about business cases and plans that we’re wanting to see,” he said.
“I don’t understand why there’s so much secrecy.”
Asked about the release of the framework in October, Premier Daniel Andrews said: “I think we’re quite close to the next stage of that.”
Mr Pesutto vowed the Opposition would keep the government accountable on spending.
“I’m concerned (blowouts) are so significant now that they are drawing vital funding away from other service areas,” he said.
“The next six to 12 months is going to be very much about listening to our communities … so that we can start rebuilding and working our way to (the) 2026 (election).
“The primary task for us is to make sure that we are speaking to the issues that people have been concerned about.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Opposition leader John Pesutto asks why Epworth wants to shut its maternity ward
Rapist nurse ‘exploited’ victim for his ‘drunken gratification’: Judge
A nurse has been sentenced to half a decade behind bars for his “appalling” rape of another man in a drunken incident a judge described as opportunistic.
‘Faster and faster’: Passenger recalls horror bus crash
A Geelong man aboard the bus that ploughed through trees before coming to a stop when it hit traffic lights has told how he thought the crash had killed the driver.