‘Services Were Doubleups: Premier Defends Health Promotion Budget Cuts

During the outbreak, the government is asking health promotion program workers to work with communities and protect them, Robinson said.

"They are knocking on council house doors and vaccinating people in their neighbourhood. So if we want to reduce our spending on health promotion, the danger we face now is that the capacity and skills are not in our system when we need them.

Andrews told a press conference on Sunday that health promotion cuts had been made in two previous budgets and that the health sector as a whole would receive additional funding in the May 23 budget.

It was then clarified that the defense programs canceled in the 2021-2022 budget will be implemented at the end of the fiscal year.

Asked if he thought the government would lie, Robinson said: "All I know is that we met for the first time on Friday to inform them of the layoffs. If that decision has already been made, we haven't clear why they were not told earlier.

The Australian Health Promotion Association says that for every dollar spent on health promotion, $14 is saved.

"While there may be a $3 million reduction, it will cost $50 million and we will see those costs continue for years to come," said regional chairman David Toole.

This is where the government should spend more money, not take their money.

DPV Health, which runs 20 community health clinics in northern Victoria, said it would be unable to run many of its programs if the cuts continued.

"We work with the most disadvantaged communities," said Rick Jackson, manager of customer experience and community engagement.

LIABILITY

She said DPV was working with the South Asian community in Whittlesea, for example to educate people about domestic violence and find support.

"Discontinuing our program will reduce access to our community, which is very concerning."

Meanwhile, Andrews refused to play down complaints that Geelong's high-speed rail and rail projects would be delayed in next month's state budget.

Two government sources told The Age that the work could be pushed back to ease budget constraints and a bloated equipment market.

"The issue of this commonwealth co-funding project could be an aspect of the commonwealth budget," Andrews said.

"Our budget fulfills all our election promises. In addition, our budget must include some very complex measures because, for the worst reasons, we have borrowed billions and billions of dollars to provide a 100-year plan. And it's true, interest rates have gone up.

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