Jo Briskey (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to provide a further update on a matter I first brought to this House late last year: the future of cohealth's general practice services in Kensington. When cohealth management made the sudden announcement that they intended to close their doors just prior to Christmas last year, our community was rightly shaken. This clinic isn't just bricks and mortar; it is part of the very fabric of Kensington, providing a lifeline to our most vulnerable, from refugees and families on low incomes to residents living with chronic illness. From the moment that announcement was made, I stood shoulder to shoulder with my community in Maribyrnong, in Kensington. I told this House then that our community cannot lose these services, and I took that message straight to Minister Butler.

I'm proud to say that our community advocacy delivered. Before the end of last year, the Albanese Labor government committed $1.5 million in interim funding to enable the services to continue to 26 July. This pause has meant families didn't have to scramble at the end of last year just to find new doctors before Christmas, and it's given us the space to find a permanent solution. An independent review is well underway, supported by both the federal and Victorian governments, and I want to thank those local residents and healthcare workers who have taken part in this process. To the people of Kensington: I heard you last year. I hear you now. My focus remains unwavering. Working with both the federal and state governments will ensure that we won't just keep the doors open for now but we'll make sure that we keep the community health model for the long term.

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