The Labor Government budget announcement of $8 million for a Radiation Therapy Centre comes as great news to to 5000 plus South East residents who have signed a petition calling for the NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, to include the centre as part of the new Eurobodalla regional hospital, ensuring cancer patients across the South East, from Batemans Bay to the Victorian border, can access vital cancer treatment facilities closer to home.
The petition of 5295 signatures has now been delivered to the Minister Bronnie Taylor, who appears to be the default Minister for Health as Brad Hazzard begins to withdraw from politics ahead of the next State election, stating he will not be standing again saying it’s time for a ‘new beginning’.
Given the $8 million committed Federal funding and the petition being formally delivered for response from Ms Taylor it will be interesting to see her formal reply, as required. Ms Taylor has already suggested, by way of data she claims to have at hand, that:
“What I have to do is….look at the facts and look at the data, and what it’s telling us at the moment is that data isn’t there to support that Radiotherapy Unit. Now, is that going to change into the future? I would say perhaps…” (ABC-SE, ”Breakfast”, 05/10/22)
The Federal member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, has been a strong supporter of those lobbying for the centre from the outset saying:
"People on the Far South Coast with cancer, deserve to have access to radiation therapy locally. Thanks to the 5,000+ people that signed the petition that will now go to the NSW Parliament. "It’s a fight myself and Dr Michael Holland certainly won’t be letting go". The centre, once built, will serve the South East that includes the Federal seat of Eden Monaro (from Bodalla to the Victorian border). With a Radiation Therapy Centre located in Moruya the travel distance for patients from the Far South Coast will be halved reducing the stress and cost of travel. Federal Member for Eden Monaro, Kristy McBain has also solidly supported the Radiation Therapy Centre campaign knowing the positives that will come to those in need of the service in the Far South East. Ms McBain said: “We know cancer patients in rural and regional Australia have a lower chance of surviving than those who live in the cities because they face additional barriers to accessing vital treatment close to home,” Ms McBain said.
“Being able to access radiation therapy in Moruya will make a world of difference for people along the Far South Coast who currently have to drive to, and stay in, Canberra to access lifesaving treatment.
Above: Note that the Petition calls on the Minister for Health yet it was shunted over to the the Minister for Regional Health, Bronnie Taylor, to deal with. The following response in Parliament during Question Time in NSW Parliament on the same day as receipt of the petition, Oct. 11th 2022 , in regards to radiation oncology centre in Moruya has been generally considered as evasive and a patently inadequate answer from the Minister for Regional Health. The Hon Greg Donnelly MLC, was Chair of NSW Upper House Committee of Inquiry: Rural and Regional Health source: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/HANSARD-1820781676-90331 The Hon. GREG DONNELLY: How does the Minister respond to community concerns on the New South Wales South Coast that elderly and vulnerable cancer patients have to make a 5½‑hour round trip to Canberra to get specialised treatments because of her Government's failure to provide medical facilities on the South Coast, like a radiation oncology centre in Moruya?
The Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR (Minister for Women, Minister for Regional Health, and Minister for Mental Health) (16:57): I note for the record that the honourable member did not direct that question to me. He just said "Minister". From the context of the question, I presume it was directed to me. I thank the honourable member for his question regarding cancer services on the South Coast of New South Wales. He referred to a 5½‑hour trip to a treatment centre. I am not sure which particular place on the South Coast he was talking about.
The Hon. Greg Donnelly: Moruya to Canberra.
The Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR: I acknowledge that interjection. We have extensive cancer services on the South Coast. We have one of the most incredible chemotherapy units at the South East Regional Hospital. It is probably one of the most beautiful units you could ever see in New South Wales, with its use of dairy farms. I have been there myself. I am a previous director of cancer services, although it is quite some time ago now, in the Southern NSW Local Health District. If the member was referring to services within the Bega electorate, I would also suggest that it would be prudent for the local member to raise some of those issues with me.
The Hon. Greg Donnelly: Point of order: The Minister has had plenty of time. It is a very specific question. I ask that the Minister be directed to the specifics of the question and not go off on some tangent about what some member or may or may not have raised. I do not know what a member may or may not have raised.
The PRESIDENT: I do not have a copy of the question in front of me. It has been some time since I heard the question, given some of the other activity that was involved. If the member could pass me the question, I could have a look at it. The question is clearly about health facilities on the South Coast. The oncology centre at Moruya is mentioned. From what I have heard of the Minister's answer, I think she is being directly relevant. The Minister has the call.
The Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr President. I will continue to be directly relevant to the question about cancer services in southern New South Wales. I was recently down in Moruya, opening a new Tresillian service along with a Tresillian van. The local media asked me about radiotherapy services. As I said then and I say now, it would be great if the member for Bega wanted to speak to me and discuss any of those issues with me. I have had no representations from him. I have had no meetings. I do not know what it is—
The Hon. Greg Donnelly: Point of order: We are going round in circles. It is a very specific question. I will read it out again if it helps the Minister. She does not seem to understand. It is about the 5½-hour return trip to Canberra. That is the question.
The PRESIDENT: I understand the member's point of order. He does not need to editorialise the point of order when he makes it. The Minister was being directly relevant until she started to move into the zone of the local member and what the local member may or may not have said about the issue raised in the question. That is generally relevant, but it is not directly relevant to what has been asked by the member. The Minister will respond to the question directly.
The Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr President. I am attempting to be directly relevant to cancer services in the area when I talk about chemotherapy services. The member specifically asked about radiation oncology services. There are no radiation oncology services in the Bega Valley. Those services are based on things we look at when we are building new hospitals, such as where we will place linear accelerators, which are very high-tech machines that provide very high-tech treatments for cancer. We will continue to look at that. I understand that there is a petition.
As I said, I would like the member to talk to me about this. I think that that is how you do things when you talk about health. But southern New South Wales has absolutely brilliant cancer services. Not all areas have linear accelerators and radiotherapy services, but we look at the data and the population projection of those communities to make sure that we look at things that are on the table and could be considered in the future. At the moment, people need to travel for their radiation therapy, which is why we have helped with a record investment in the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme as well.
The Hon. DAMIEN TUDEHOPE: The time for questions has expired. If members have further questions, I suggest they place them on notice.
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