Nation will hear our questions, but will Dan listen?

ON Monday, ABC discussion show Q&A will be broadcast live from Mildura.

Among the top issues to be covered will be the GP shortage and health system strain in Mildura.

Joining host Stan Grant on the panel will be singer-songwriter John Williamson, Assistant Rural and Regional Health Minister Emma McBride, Member for Riverina Michael McCormack, Queensland MP Bob Katter and Mallee District Aboriginal Services chief executive Darlene Thomas.

Disappointingly, though, when it comes to our health care, there will be no representative from the Victorian Government on the panel to answer direct questions from a frustrated Mildura community.

You see, when it comes to the future of Mildura’s undersized hospital, a Q&A between the government and this community is what is desperately needed.

It was a couple of years back when former Victorian Government Health Minister Martin Foley visited the Mildura Base Public Hospital and admitted it was no longer fit for purpose.

Since that time, the government commissioned a $2.1 million master plan which was due for release in April last year.

Where is it? It is 12 months, a state election and state budget later and it has still not been made public.

The Labor Government has provided no details around what a potential redevelopment will look like. Or when it will happen. Or what it will cost.

Has the masterplan been torn up and thrown in the bin?

Over the past year, the Sunraysia Daily has sent plenty of Qs but received no As from the state government.

We have requested interviews with new Health Minister Mary Anne-Thomas, but instead we get brief emailed responses that do not answer our direct questions.

About six months ago, the government said this in a statement:

“The master plan has been finalised for Mildura Base Hospital which recommended a brownfields site,” a government spokesperson said.

“We’ll now work through what that might involve including costs, sequencing, staging, decanting and other planning and compliance work associated with redeveloping the existing hospital.”

So, no costings, no design, no timeline, no, well, anything.

At the time, the then Member for Mildura Ali Cupper pointed out: “The master plan costs $2.1 million. Surely you could have a costing by now.”

It is fantastic that the ABC has decided to bring its discussion show to our community.

It gives our residents a voice that will be heard across the nation.

Hopefully the issue of what is not happening with our hospital is put firmly on the agenda. And perhaps our voice can reach Spring Street, where until now our Qs have been largely ignored.

Our concerns are genuine. The last time Premier Daniel Andrews visited Mildura was to announce the return of Mildura’s hospital to public management in 2020.

There have been generational floods since, so perhaps it’s time that he came up and provided some As.