Victorian Coalition under fire over hospital election pledges

Victoria's Coalition asked to justify differences between regional hospital election pledges Sun 26 Jul 2026 at 7:38am In short: The Victorian Coalition has been asked to justify pledging funding for a new hospital in West Gippsland, but not for Mildura. Prior to the 2022 state election, Mildura was promised a new hospital by the Victorian Coalition if it was elected. Leading into this year's election, the Liberal and National parties have committed to a new $850 million hospital for Drouin, and a $180 million hospital redevelopment for Mildura. The scale and cost of health service upgrades for regional communities at opposite ends of the state may vary greatly, if the Coalition is successful at this year's state election. The Victorian Liberal and National parties this week committed to fund a new $850 million hospital in Drouin, in West Gippsland, if elected in November. The Coalition also recently promised to put $180 million towards redeveloping the Mildura Base Public Hospital, if elected. A Mildura community campaign group, Build the Base, has asked the Coalition to justify the differences between the election promises. $570 million of changes Ahead of the 2022 election, the Victorian Coalition, under then-leader Matthew Guy, promised a new $750 million Mildura Base Public Hospital if it won. In June this year, Opposition Leader Jess Wilson announced plans for a $180 million hospital redevelopment in Mildura. It would include a 30-bed acute ward, and an expansion of the emergency department by 18 beds. Referencing the unfulfilled 2022 promise, Ms Wilson said election commitments were "not static" and things changed. Nationals MP for Mildura Jade Benham said there was "simply less money" to play with compared to 2022. "The needs of the community haven't changed, in fact the population continues to grow, but the innovation and the way that the management and the [hospital] board have adapted to be able to deliver change very, very quickly certainly has," Ms Benham said. A 'bit of a slap in the face' Build the Base is a community campaign group pushing for a new or redeveloped Mildura Base Public Hospital. Upon hearing the news West Gippsland had been promised a new hospital, Build the Base vice-president Stephen Parr said it was "a bit of a slap in the face". "Clearly the budget conditions haven't changed that much when you're in seats that are closer to Melbourne," Mr Parr said. "We are one of the most remote hospitals in the state. "We have a higher level of complexity and acuity in the cases that come to our hospital because there's no other [public] hospital. "I would argue that our community needs are higher. "While there may be need for beds and things down there, this part of the state and our remoteness causes the need for us to have a new hospital. "We are a very remote part of the state with complex needs, and that's what warrants this significant investment that we're wanting." The Coalition response The Victorian Coalition was asked why there was a difference in funding pledge amounts between hospitals in Mildura and West Gippsland. It was also asked why West Gippsland had been promised a new hospital, while Mildura was promised a hospital redevelopment. A spokesperson instead directed criticism at Build the Base president, and former member for Mildura, Ali Cupper. "Our team has a plan for the whole state and unlike tried and failed independent MPs — we can actually deliver," the spokesperson said. "Our $180 million commitment to significantly upgrade Mildura Base Hospital is $180 million more than Ali Cupper ever did, or ever will deliver. "The only to way to get a better Mildura Base Hospital and ensure our region get its fair share is by backing our Nationals and Liberals team this November." Ms Cupper made a brief response to the Coalition statement. "In relation to the personal attack, I'm not taking the bait. Instead, Build the Base will repeat the question: how can the Coalition justify a new hospital to Gippsland while abandoning its promise to Mildura," she said. The Victorian Labor government spent $2 million on a Mildura hospital master plan in the 2021–22 State Budget, but has not publicly released it, or made a financial commitment to a new hospital, or a hospital redevelopment. The West Gippsland Hospital received funding for planning and development in the 2023 Victorian budget as part of a $320 million fund to prepare for the delivery of seven major hospital projects across the state.