PASIN RESPONDS TO PICTON ON RADIATION TREATMENT CLAIMS
Member for Barker Tony Pasin MP continues his advocacy to see Radiation Treatment services delivered to the Limestone Coast, responding to advice given to the South Australian Health Minister Chris Picton claiming that a Radiation Treatment Service in the Limestone Coast was ‘unsustainable’.
Mr Pasin wrote to Minister Picton in September 2022 urging the Minister to reconsider the State Government’s decision not to support locally based radiation treatment services in the Limestone Coast.
“Disappointingly, it took the Minister four months to respond, and when he did it was cut and paste from the Limestone Coast Local Health Network advice,” Mr Pasin said.
“The Minister needs to take an interest in regional health and unfortunately this issue seems to be falling on deaf ears in the Ministerial offices of Adelaide.”
“Last week we met with the Shadow Ministerial team here in Mount Gambier who are taking real interest in this issue at a local level. It’s a pity we don’t see the same interest being taken from the State Government.”
Mr Pasin said he had been advocating for radiation treatment services for the Limestone Coast since 2019 and while the advocacy had been successful in receiving more than $4.3 million at a Federal Government level, the State Government refused to support the bid to deliver a local Limestone Coast service.
“The Limestone Coast Local Health Network should be advocating with the community to see State Government funding for this cause, not providing advice to the contrary,” Mr Pasin said.
Mr Pasin said the four points listed in the advice provided to the Minister had been addressed by potential service provider ICON Group in a letter received by Mr Pasin this week.
The Icon Group currently operates more than 30 centres across the country, with many of these in regional communities. The organisation is Australia’s largest dedicated provider of cancer care and have partnership agreements with State Governments in Western Australia, Victoria, NSW, ACT and Queensland.
“Icon Group are well experienced and were able to respond to the four points within days of my request,” Mr Pasin said.
“The South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing is being ill-advised and his lack of personal interest in obtaining the facts is letting the Limestone Coast community down,” Mr Pasin said.
Mr Pasin has provided Minister Picton with a response to the advice of LCLHN and invited the Minister to the Limestone Coast to meet with the community on the issue.
“We don’t need secret meetings being held in Adelaide about matters that the Limestone Coast community are clearly passionate about. We need our regional health needs met and our voice heard,” Mr Pasin said.
ENDS
Attached
- Letter received from Minister Picton 30 January 2023
- Letter received from Icon responding to ‘challenges’
Letter-Mr Tony Pasin MP Feb 23
Media Contact: Charlotte Edmunds 8724 7730
