Member for Benambra, Bill Tilley, says the Victorian government’s ongoing refusal to provide vital planning papers for hospitals in Wodonga and Albury is either contempt or incompetence.

“Last Wednesday marked 10 weeks since the request for the documents was passed unanimously in the upper house of the Victorian Parliament,” Mr Tilley said.

“The long since expired deadline for the papers was March 27.”

Member for Northern Victoria, Wendy Lovell, demanded in Parliament that the government release the documents before the Parliament sits again on Tuesday, May 28.

Mr Tilley agrees.

“Similar papers requested of the New South Wales government were provided within three weeks and yet we are being stonewalled for months,” he said.

“The border community needs to understand how the decision to build at the Albury campus will make their lives better, their healthcare better.

Ms Lovell said it was an insult to the community and democracy.

“It has been 10 weeks, and they have not been able to produce those documents that were demanded by this house,” she said.

“We have these deadlines to enshrine democracy and transparency but what we get is tokenism and excuses.

“The ongoing delay fuels the community’s fears that this decision was politically motivated, rather than driven by the current and future health needs.

“About 300,000 people rely on this Victorian health service and they deserve the truth.”

This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 23 May 2024.