Today the Liberal Opposition has announced they will deliver critical care closer to home for cancer patients in the Limestone Coast.
Over 16,000 people signed a petition in May 2023 calling for the delivery of radiation treatment services in the Limestone Coast. But their calls fell on deaf ears with the Malinauskas Government once again failing to deliver for regional South Australians.
Cancer sufferers in the Limestone Coast are currently forced to drive up to a 10 hour round trip to undergo critical radiation treatment. This comes at a significant financial and emotional cost to patients, who are forced to be separated from their families and support network while undergoing radiation treatment.
Leader of the Opposition Vincent Tarzia, and Mt Gambier local Ben Hood MLC announced today that a Liberal Government will deliver radiotherapy services to the Limestone Coast.
“South Australia is the only state to not deliver radiotherapy services regionally. We will ensure equitable access to health care in our regions, starting with radiation therapy services for cancer suffers in the Limestone Coast,” Mr Tarzia said.
“Your postcode should not determine your health outcomes. As the Party for the regions, we want to reduce the barriers to health care for regional South Australians.
Mr Hood acknowledged the crucial advocacy of the Radiation Treatment Limestone Coast Working Party that helped secure this outcome.
"I want to thank the tens of thousands of South Australians, and the hardworking grassroots working party, who have fought long and hard to get a commitment from government to establish radiotherapy services in the regions," said Mr Hood.
“We have seen similar service models provided interstate in Mildura, Griffith and Warrnambool. Yet the Malinauskas Labor Government is happy to leave cancer suffers in the Limestone Coast to travel interstate to seek critical treatment – at their own cost and far from their families and support network,” said Mr Hood.
“I’m proud to stand side by side with my community today, and all those that fought hard, including those 16,000 people who signed the petition, to promise them that we will deliver the care they deserve, closer to home,” said Mr Hood.
Shadow Minister for Regional Health Services, Penny Pratt said “we know country patients face poorer health outcomes than their metropolitan counterparts.”
“Regional health is a key focus for the Opposition and we understand the tyranny of distance better than the city centric Labor Government.
“Labor is running a false economy when it comes to the health budget blow out, legislating the damaging GP Payroll Tax and sourcing anaesthetists for Mount Gambier. They have turned their backs on the Limestone Coast communities when it comes to delivering any compassionate radiotherapy service based in the regions,” said Penny Pratt.
In a letter to the Minister for Health Chris Picton, the Radiation Oncology Access Coalition urged the Government to meet with them to discuss why the Mt Gambier regional radiation treatment is viable and how the existing $4.3 million of Commonwealth allocated funding can be best utilised.
It considered the Feasibility Study and response by the Limestone Coast Local Health Network to be flawed and based on inappropriate criteria.
