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Shire of Victoria Plains
10
2/29 Moreton Terrace
Dongara WA 6525
MooreElectorate@mp.wa.gov.au www.shanelove.com.auTel: 99 272333
Shane Love MLA
Member for Moore
Media Release
May 29, 2017
Love: Country lives at risk
Member for Moore Shane Love MLA says country lives will be at risk if the McGowan Labor
government does not honour commitments made by the state government in the last term.
Speaking on the future of the $500 million Royalties for Regions- funded Southern Inland
Health Initiative (SIHI), Mr Love said the previous state government had approved funding
for a further two years for an extension of the SIHI program beyond June 30, 2017.
“These were decisions made by the previously elected government that impact on the
delivery of health services including the Emergency Telehealth Service in agricultural
communities between Kalbarri and Esperance,” Mr Love said.
“They were not election promises, this was funding that was approved by Cabinet and
signed off by the relevant Ministers at the time.
“Telehealth has absolutely transformed the way country hospitals and nursing posts operate
and we have evidence that this technology - funded by Royalties for Regions under the SIHI
program - has saved lives in the country.”
Mr Love said that since the Labor government had announced an inquiry into Royalties for
Regions funding ahead of the September 7 budget, programs such as Telehealth and SIHI
Stream 1 which supports the attraction and retention of Doctors in regional areas, were
under threat after June 30 when SIHI funding runs out.
“These communities can not wait until September to find out whether Royalties for Regions
will back these programs,” he added.
“I am calling on the McGowan government to honour decisions made previously. The
business case developed for the continuation of the SIHI program involved a risk analysis
which identified that country patients would be put at risk if the Royalties for Regions
funding for the continuing SIHI program was not available.”
Mr Love also called on the Labor government to update coastal and periurban communities
on the status of the $22 million Turquoise Coast Health Initiative.
The focus of this four year program was to deliver increased emergency, acute, palliative,
short-stay and community based care, along with ante natal and post natal services between
Dongara and Lancelin and inland to Chittering.
“Again this was Royalties for Regions funding approved by the former government to
reinforce health delivery in these communities and address some serious gaps in service.”