WITH less than a month until Mallee voters hit the ballot box in the Federal
Election, The Guardian asked all nine (as yet announced) candidates: Where do
you stand on health? How would you and your party improve healthcare in the
Mallee electorate, and Australia?
MARK COREY
Palmer United Party
Mr Corey said his party would inject $80 billion into health, with $18 billion going to Victoria. “In terms of regional healthcare, we’ll try and un-mothball the Mallee. We’ve been slowly mothballed over the last 70 years and regional health is one of the big things that needs addressing.”
CHRIS CREWTHER
Liberal Party of Australia
Mr Crewther said he was passionate about better health services in the Mallee and his party would support the responsible implementation of a National Disability Insurance Scheme. “Another important issue in the Swan Hill region is mental health…Having previously volunteered with the MATES program through the Australian Red Cross and having completed my certificate in Mental Health First Aid, I am well aware of the many complexities and issues surrounding support for those dealing with mental health issues. I will work with local service providers to try to turn these statistics around. An Abbott Government will provide better mental health support and services as well as creating a national mental health workforce training institute.”
ANDREW BROAD
National Party of Australia
“I don’t think any Australian should be disadvantaged because of where they live, my challenge if elected as a member of parliament with 47 aged care homes in the electorate, and a great number of hospitals and increased demands on allied health services, including mental health, is to ensure this part of Australia gets its fair share. Many of the funding models presented by the major parties, tend to work in the cities, only the Nationals will be pushing for greater flexibility so that models work in regional towns.”
AMY MULCAHY
Australian Sex Party
Ms Mulcahy said her party’s health-related drug reform policy aimed to regulate and tax marijuana. “We think the war on drugs isn’t working and it needs to be tackled from a different angle.” Cannibis would be legalised for medical uses. “On a broader scope, drugs should be looked at as a health issue, rather than a law and order issue.” Ms Mulcahy pointed to countries such as Portugal that were taking such an approach, directed towards combatting mental health problems among others.
TIM MIDDLETON
Rise Up Australia Party
Mr Middleton said his party’s policies focussed on creating a health system that was “people- focussed… not one that requires patients to fit into an inflexible and indifferent structure”. “We believe that a system which demands un-real and un-achievable goals of our medical workers negatively affects the quality of care to patients. “It is a disgrace that our hospitals have to discharge patients prematurely because of bed shortages. “Rise Up Australia will ensure Hospitals either remain or return to the ownership of all Australians.
JANE McALLISTER
Australian Greens
Ms McAllister has applauded a report into Medicare by a coalition of health and community leaders and supported an inquiry into out-of-pocket healthcare costs. “The increasing out-of-pocket costs in healthcare deserve to be a focus of this election campaign,” she said. “Many people on the street are struggling to make ends meet and when you are sick, it is not only harder to cope, it is also becoming increasingly expensive. The Greens would inject $664 million into Medicare to “keep bulk billing rates high and out-of-pocket costs down”.
VINCE CIRILLO
Katter’s Australian Party
Mr Cirillo said health should not be a political issue, rather, it should be subject to an independent body. “If we ahad any input, we would set up a separate body, making sure health was adequately fudned, no matter who was in government at the time. Because everybody aspires to health system that’s adequate and well-funded, it should be a given. Because it’s too big of an issue to say “If I get elected I’ll build a hospital” I don’t think it should work like that. Leaving it up to the politics of today is not good enough.”
LYDIA SENIOR
Australian Labor Party
Ms Senior said she had identified some first term projects she would “sink her teeth into”, identified through community consultation. First among the projects would be the introduction of three multi-disciplinary pain management clinics in Mildura, Swan Hill and Horsham, “as we currently have no facilities or services across the region”. She also campaigned for: a comprehensive oncology service, an end stage dementia specific unit, a one-stop shop for Autism Specturm and Developmental Disorders, improved mental health services, and services for the prevention and early intervention of type 1 and 2 diabetes.
CHRIS LAHY
Citizens Electoral Council of Australia
Mr Lahy said his party’s central policies, re-introduction of the Glass Steaggall Act, would return tens of billions of dollars back to the Federal budget, which could be spent on health, among other areas. “When we look at what’s happening in the Mallee, and in Mildura they’re having significant issues with their base hospital been privatised, it’s come about because lack of money. “We clearly need a better health care system. It’s just not meeting the needs of our community nor the nation. When you look at it across the board, money is always the issue.
