STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Dr HAINES (Indi) (13:36): Regional Australians are tired of hearing promises that things will get better while essential services continue to fall behind. While the Commonwealth commits hundreds of millions to build and upgrade major-city hospitals—for example, there's the $120 million contribution to the new Rouse Hill Hospital, in Western Sydney—regional health services are being pushed to breaking point.

My budget submission included the priorities of Indi's health services. Their requests weren't extravagant. They were the basics.

Alexandra needs a new X-ray machine because the current one is 23 years old. Mansfield and Alexandra need expanded dialysis services. Bright needs upgraded palliative care spaces.

Corryong Health's hot-water system has reached the end of its life. In Yea, the nursing home roof is in such poor condition that there were fears it would not offer ember protection during a bushfire. These are wonderful health services with dedicated and talented teams caring for their communities with ageing infrastructure and impossible budgets.

They deserve better, and so do the people who rely on them. That's why I've proposed a $2 billion building regional and rural hospitals fund, a fully costed plan to help regional hospitals, such as those of Albury Wodonga Health and Bright Hospital and Mansfield District Hospital, replace ageing infrastructure and plan for the future. Regional Australians aren't asking for special treatment—just the same access to health care as everyone else.