The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has questioned the Minister for Health Infrastructure in Parliament this week, urging her once again to urgently fund the replacement of the leaking roof at the Murrayville Memorial Bush Nursing Hospital.
“Murrayville is a small, tight-knit farming community and they are incredibly proactive in looking after their own health needs,” Ms Benham said.
“They have attracted allied health professionals, a nurse practitioner, physiotherapists and social workers, all of whom deliver vital care from this building. However, the professionals and the patients they serve deserve to be treated in a hospital which meets minimum building standard.
“The hospital roof leaks, and the facility desperately needs $250,000 for repairs. The Allan Labor Government has no hesitation in throwing millions and even billions of dollars at major projects but can’t seem to find a fraction of that to keep a community hospital watertight. $250,000 is a drop in the ocean compared to the enormous value this service provides.”
The Murrayville Memorial Bush Nursing Hospital is owned by the community and operated by a volunteer-led group, with Mallee Track Health and Community Service and Mallee Border Health delivering services from the site. The facility also serves as a broader community hub, playing a critical role in sustaining health services in the remote Mallee region.
“The people of Murrayville are proactive and resilient. They run this service themselves, they volunteer with the CFA, they keep their Landcare group thriving, but they can’t be expected to fix the roof out of their own pockets,” Ms Benham said.
“The Murrayville community have done their bit. Now it’s time for the Allan Labor Government to step up and do theirs.
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage the health system and it’s regional communities like Murrayville that are paying the price.”
