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Orbost Regional Health confirms new care beds are not coming shows Andrews Labor government has mislead locals on investment in health
Orbost is not receiving 38 new aged care beds as stated in the Budget papers and promised by the Minister, Anthony Carbines.
Gippsland East MP, Tim Bull, had the chance to question the Minister through members of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) at a recent hearing. He was asked "Orbost already has 38 aged care beds, so are these 38 new beds in addition to the existing 38, or are you refurbishing the existing 38 beds?" Minister Anthony Carbines clearly replied: "the investment in Orbost is new beds".
The only problem with this chest beating is the Minister was wrong, not only had the additional 38 beds not been welcomed, they do not exist!
Significant investment
PAEC member Bev McArthur then confirmed: "So we are confirming we are now going to have 76 aged care beds in Orbost" to which the answer was a clear "yes, the investment is for 38 new beds in Orbost".
Further committing to this, Minister Carbines added: "I would add the investment in Orbost for these new 38 beds is a significant investment in the Orbost community and has been welcomed by the Orbost community".
Labor misleading local communities
Embarrassingly, it has subsequently been confirmed by Orbost Regional Health that there are not 38 new aged care beds coming to Orbost. The funding is for a renovation to the facility and does not deliver one new bed beyond the existing 38.
Mr Bull said this is typical of Labor misleading local communities by using confusing language that leads to community expectations being lifted and then deflated. "However, it seems the spin doctors confused their own Minister as well, as even he did not know, being happy to trumpet the benefits of the 38 'new' beds that do not exist. Hopefully this now clears things up for the local community," Mr Bull said.
Pictures from Tim Bull MP website.
Source: www.gippsland.com
Published by: news@gippsland.com
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